Yu Gi Oh GX The Ultimate Duelists
by ShadeAkami
Summary: Shin, a boy with a past shrouded in mystery arrives at Duel Academia. Sharing the same uncanny ability to interact with Duel spirits, Shin quickly forms a strong bond with a boy named Judai. However, as his past catches up to him, will Shin be swallowed up by his own Darkness, or will his friends manage to pull him back into the Light? (OCxAsuka) (DISCONTINUED- but with an ending)
1. Chapter 0

As it is stated in the description, this is a reupload of my first attempt at fanfiction, Yu Gi Oh GX The Ultimate Duelists.

Since I had a change of heart on my decision to delete everything on my profile, but was unable to recover the story as it was before, these are just all the chapters in the raw form. You will find grammar mistakes and/or continuity errors.

But don't fret. The story is discontinued regardless, and the final chapter contains all of what was supposed to happen in the story, compressed into a loong summary. So it isn't necesarry to read these. But I don recommend it to some extent, as the final chapter doesn't focus on details, which some of these chapters provide.

I apologize for the upcoming mistakes in the chapters.

(Since the story is discontinued, I won't bother going through all the chapters again, and edit all of them once more.)

Thank you, and enjoy...I guess?


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: New Heirs

Domino City. A beautiful city that housed some of the world's strongest Duelists. Pegasus J. Crawford, owner of Industrial Illusions and creator of Duel Monsters, Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp., Jonouchi Katsuya, the 'Godfather of Games' being only a few of these duelists along with the renowned 'King of Duelists', Yugi Muto.

Our story begins on the streets of Domino City, on a sunny day, where we see two individuals walking together.

The first was a relatively tall young man, probably around his mid to late twenties. His attire consisted of a black sleeveless shirt and leather pants coupled with leather shoes. Around his waist were two belts. One for his pants and the second holding his Deck, which was located near his right back pocket. Around his wrists were a pair of wrist bracelets. He also had a black choker around his neck.

However the mans most striking feature had to be his hair. He has **very** spiky black hair styled in five large spikes with red tips forming an outline at the end, along with five long crocked, pointy locks which are blond, for a fringe.

The second person was also a male, however unlike the other one, this person was still just a teenager, no older than 15. The boys clothes consisted of black denim jeans and black classic sneakers, coupled with a plain white T-Shirt. Much like the older male, this boy also wore two belts around his waist. However, he had two Decks adorning his secondary belt. His main and his secondary Deck. He also wore two leather bracelets around his arms, one over his left bicep, while the other one was around his right wrist. And around his neck, hung a round pendant made of gold bearing an interesting symbol.

The boy bore a slight resemblance to his older companion, namely the similar hair.

Golden bangs framed the young man's face, while the rest of his hair was raven black in color and spiked up. And while not as crazy as his companions, the boy's hair was also quite wild.

Moving from the hair we come to his face, which wasn't exactly the epitome of manliness. The boy had soft features and fair skin, which one would usually attribute to a girl. But this was indeed a boy. A boy with doll like features.

An interesting feature about the boy was his unusual eye color, which was icy blue. If one didn't look close enough, they'd think the boy was blind. Though that never seemed to be case as he always acted energetically and spontaneous, something blind people wouldn't normally do. Due to this, people never assumed he was blind.

And speaking of energetic and spontaneous, the boy couldn't help the light skip in his step as he walked the streets whistling a merry tune. The older of the two, who was walking at his own pace a slight distance from Shin, raised an eyebrow.

"You seem more excited than usual Shin" he remarked, causing the newly named Shin to glance back at him. "Are you really that happy to go to Duel Academia?"

"Of course!" Shin responded almost immediately. "Just think about all the people I'm gonna duel! Oh, I can't wait to see what the people at Duel Academia are capable of~" he sang, before resuming his whistling.

"Remember Shin, don't let the excitement get to you during your duel. Remember to always analyze your opponents next move. If you give them too much leeway they may end up turning the tables on you"

"Yeah I know, don't worry" Shin waved the older male off. "I've learned my lesson, after all those losses against you guys..." he mumbled with a pout, causing his companion to laugh.

"Then you'd better remember that lesson form now on~" he chuckled, before pointing in front of them. "This is your time to shine."

"Ahh~ We're finally here!" exclaimed Shin, grinning widely whilst staring up at the building in front of them.

A large building known as the Kaiba Dome.

This is where the Duel Academia Entrance Exams were being held. Duelists from all over the country would gather here in order to duel for a chance to enter the prestigious Duel Academia. The Exams actually consisted of two parts: The written exams and the practical exams. Those who managed to pass both exams would get to attend Duel Academia.

Whoever failed here would have to wait another year in order to try again.

"Wow, the Kaiba Dome sure is huge huh~. Seto-chan couldn't possibly be trying to overcompensate for something, right?" said a giggling Shin.

"I would've said it's because of all the large monsters some people use, but who know you may be right"" chuckled the older male, crossing his arms over his chest.

This is something Shin enjoyed doing very much. Taking digs at other people. And Seto Kaiba was his favorite victim, due to his oversized ego.

"Well, this is it Shin. It's your time to show the world what you've got" said the older male, glancing at the young Shin. "Use these three years at Duel Academia to improve yourself and your dueling."

"Don't worry I got this!" Shin grinned and gave his companion a thumbs up. "I'll show everyone what I'm capable of, and become the best Duelist!"

"Oh?" Shin's companion smirked in amusement. "The best Duelist huh? Does that mean you want to claim the title of King of Duelists?" he questioned, looking at Shin with a raised eyebrow.

"You bet" Shin declared, a confident expression on his face. This caused his companion to chuckle.

"Is that so? Then how about this?" he started, looking at Shin challengingly. "If you manage to graduate as the best Duelist in the academy, I'll gladly give you a shot at the title" he grinned, extending his fist toward Shin.

"Heh. Are you sure? You might just lose it" Shin said, pushing his fist against his companions.

"I have no problem with losing it to you. To me, it's just a title with no real meaning to it. There are countless people in this world who could best me in a Duel" the elder one said. "But to you, it's different isn't it?" he asked, receiving a sad nod from Shin.

"It's a promise I vowed keep" he stated, clenching his fist.

He then felt a hand on his shoulder, courtesy of his companion.

"I'm sure you'll keep that promise" he smiled warmly, causing Shin's own smile to appear.

"See you at the top then~" he said, before turning around and beginning to walk toward the dome.

"Before you go" the man called once more, stopping Shin in his tracks. He then reached behind him and grabbed something which he presented to Shin.

"I want you to have these, to help you on your journey" he said, as Shin's eyes opened considerably.

' _T-These?!'_ he exclaimed in his mind, looking back at his companion. "I can't take them! They're your aces! I can do just fine with my own cards!"

"I know you can but I still want you to have them. They never did belong to me in the first place anyway. I just kept them safe in his memory" the man said, smiling sadly as certain memories filled his mind. But it didn't last, as he looked back at Shin. "You two had a lot in common, so I want you to continue the legacy with these cards. At least until you fulfill your promise" he smiled, as Shin still looked a little reluctant.

However, in the end he took the cards with a sigh, placing them in his own deck.

"Very well then. I promise you won't regret entrusting me with them. I'll make you proud!" he stated determined, his usual demeanor returning.

Seeing this, the man smiled.

"I'm sure you will. Besides, your ability to communicate with duel spirits will certainly help you out."

It's true. Shin was one of the few duelists who could actually see, speak to and interact with their Duel Monsters. And he was glad that he had this ability. It was so much easier to increase your Deck's strength when the monsters themselves add their thoughts as well. That is how Shin managed to get this far.

"You're right, that will certainly help. I hasn't failed me yet, after all~" he chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

The man only smiled and gave Shin a thumbs up. "That's the attitude Shin. Don't worry. I'm sure you'll make good on your promises. But for now, you should go. It seems they've begun setting everything up. You know what they say ' _The early bird get's the worm'_. If you get there early you might be able to duel before everyone else so no one will see your monsters and strategies. So go there and show them what you're made of."

Shin, of course, responded by adopting his signature child-like grin and returning the man's thumbs up.

"Of course! Don't worry I'll show them exactly what I'm made of!" answered the excited Shin.. "So with that said and done… Seeya~!"..before running off towards the entrance to the Kaiba Dome, leaving the man in the dust… quite literally.

So after waving the dust away, the man smiled and began leaving.

' _Heh. I know you'll certainly do your best Shin. And I'm certain you'll also make new friends there. Speaking of..'_ then man took out another card from his deck.

The Winged Kuriboh.

' _Kuri, Kuri~'_ the Kuriboh cooed. The man smiled ' _Looks like you have found yourself another partner as well huh? Well then, I'd better hurry so I don't miss him. Maybe he and Shin's path will cross in the future. Who knows...'_ the man smiled and continued down the path, hoping to find the same person Kuriboh felt.

Back with Shin…

After racing up the stairs to the Kaiba Dome, and due to the built up momentum, Shin had to literally skid to a halt. Which was a good thing as he would've crashed right into the stand for the Exams had he not stopped.

The stand itself was occupied by three people. Two girls who were wearing, what looked to be one of the academy's Uniforms, and a man with black hair and wearing a black suit.

' _If I remember correctly, based on their uniforms, those girls should be from the Ra Yellow Dorm.'_ Shin thought with his hands on his knees, while catching his breath.

As Shin was catching his breath, the man and girls were watching him curiously, wondering why he made such an entrance. A thought the black-haired man decided to voice.

"Umm.. Excuse me son, but what are you doing exactly?" asked the man slowly, only to be startled by Shin, suddenly jumping back to his feet and giving a big toothy grin.

"I'm here to take the Duel Academia entrance exam, sir!" Shin exclaimed happily, only to notice the other three staring at him as if he had two heads. This caused Shin to raise an eyebrow. "What's wrong? The exams ARE held here right?" asked Shin. After all he knew for a fact that the Kaiba Dome was where the exams were being held, so why were they looking at him weirdly?

One of the girls snapped out of her staring and responded.

"Yes, the exams are indeed held here. We were just surprised that you arrived so early. The exams don't start for another hour or so." the girl told Shin.

Silence.

Shin didn't say anything, but calmly took his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. And sure enough, the girl was right. Shin was indeed a little over an hour early.

' _I feel pretty stupid if I'm honest with myself. Not only did I read_ _the time wrong when we left due to excitement, but I also didn't pay full attention to what he said before leaving.'_ thought Shin as he remembered 'his' exact words. " _It seems they've begun setting everything up."_ That's right. They've only **begun** setting everything up. ' _Heh. I need to start paying closer attention to what people say, hehe~'._ Shin giggled in his mind. However while he was indeed too early, his pent up excitement wouldn't go away just like that, so he concocted a plan. Turning to the other three people currently present, Shin adopted a pout on his features. Something, the two girls lightly blushed at. While the man wasn't affected in the same way, he could still see Shin as something reminiscent of a sad looking puppy. And no one could refuse such a face.

"Mouuu~ But I want to Duel so badly! I can't wait! I am still hyped about meeting new opponents! I can't wait any longer! Isn't there anything you could do? Pleaseee~ Heck, I'd even duel a teacher, as long as I can at least duel someone strong." young Shin pleaded with the man in the suit.

At first, the man would have been opposed to Shin dueling, simply because none of the Duel Proctors were ready to duel just yet. However, since Shin said he would even take on a teacher, he thought of one possible solution. So, turning back to Shin the man was about to speak before Shin himself interrupted him.

"Oh yeah. Almost forgot." Shin said as he pulled out the envelope containing his recommendation. "I am supposed to give this to a teacher or the Principal." he continued as he handed the letter to the man. The man only had to look at the stamp on the envelope, to know it was from Kaiba Corporation, and thus was quite important.

' _Well this is certainly convenient.'_ the man thought as he turned back to Shin.

"Alright son, I think I have a solution for your 'being early' dilemma. But first you'll have to tell us your name."

"My name's Shin! I should be ranked Nr. 2 on your list of examinees!" Shin answered as he regained his upbeat demeanor.

The two girls took out a file and searched through it for a second before showing a list to the man in the black suit. ' _Number 2 indeed. Just under Daichi Misawa huh? Kid must be smart.'_ thought the man after confirming what Shin told them.

"Alright then. Shin, follow me please." the man said as he began walking inside the building. Shin turned to the two girls at the desk, bowed and quickly followed after the black haired man.

It didn't take long for the two to enter a big hall, which contained multiple Duel Fields.

' _Looks like they finished setting up the Duel Fields. That's good. Means I won't have to wait that much longer..'_ thought Shin as he got excited again.

"You wait here, while I go and speak with the Director of Practical Applications. The teacher overseeing these exams." the man told Shin, who just nodded and sat on one of the many chairs in the stands. Seeing this, the man left Shin to his business and went towards the judge stands, where the Duel Proctors finished setting things up. The man approached a person wearing a blue, regal looking outfit complete with gold trimmings and ruffled pink collar, shoulders, upper chest and sleeves.

"Professor Chronos, we have an applicant that arrived here earlier than expected."

The professor turned to face the man with a raised eyebrow. In the process his face was also made visible. Weirdly enough, the professor was wearing lipstick along with some make up on his face and his long blond hair was kept up in a tight ponytail. "This early you say? That is certainly something you don't see often, no ne? It's usually the other way around. But that doesn't matter right now. Where is he anyways?" professor Chronos asked while looking around.

Sure enough he soon spotted Shin, patiently waiting in the stands.

"He's waiting for his Duel sir. Even though he just arrived, he aked if he could have his Duel exam early. He even said he would take on a teacher, if it meant he got to Duel." the man in the suit told Chronos, who turned back surprised.

"He is even willing to take on one of Duel Academia's teachers, just so he can duel? He's either overconfident or really certain of his own skills." Chronos grumbled.

"I actually think it may be the latter, professor Chronos. Considering he had this with him." the man said as he handed Chronos the envelope Shin had with him. Chronos, of course, took it and upon seeing the 'Kaiba Corp.' stamp, he hastily opened up the envelope and began reading the letter inside. He soon opened his eyes wide at the contents... ' _A-A recommendation letter..?',_ only to turn slack jawed when seeing the signature of the one who wrote it. ' _..written by Seto Kaiba himself?!'_ Chronos screamed in his mind. He quickly looked back up to Shin, as if to compare him to what the letter described… only to see him playing with his leather bracelets, completely unaware of the world around him. Something that made the professor lightly sweatdrop.

' _Either there's more to this boy than meets the eye, or Mister Kaiba is finally losing it.'_ thought Chronos. But after shaking his head, he quickly composed himself. ' _No matter. It just means I'll have to see for myself whether or not this letter speaks truth.'_

After putting the letter back in the envelope and resealing it, Chronos quickly stood up and turned towards the others present.

"Please call Signore Shin down to Duel Field #1. I'll be waiting for him there" Chronos told the suited man, as he left the in order to get his equipment ready for the duel.

"B-But, sir! What about the prototype deck that he will be facing?" a random judge asked.

However Chronos was long gone. Seeing this the black haired man simply nodded to himself and went to where Shin was.

Meanwhile in the stands, Shin was now keeping himself busy by sorting through his decks again and again, in order to make sure everything was in order. As he was doing that, he noticed the man in the black suit coming towards him and, anticipating what the man was going to tell him, Shin put his decks back in their holsters, stood up and faced the man with expectation and, barely contained, excitement.

Assuming a formal tone the man spoke.

"Applicant Number 2, Shin. Please proceed to Duel Field #1. A professor is waiting for you there. He will be acting as your Duel Proctor for this Duel, as you are too early and none of the real Proctors are ready just yet. I hope you don't mind if the Duel poses more of challenge now."

Shin, however, smiled and got even more excited.

"Challenge huh? Hehe~ That's exactly what I was hoping for!" Shin said happily while taking off towards the Duel Field, leaving the man in the dust.

-GX-

Soon, Shin found himself in front of the Duel Field, where professor Chronos himself was waiting patiently. Stepping onto the Duel Field, Shin bowed and greeted the professor.

"Hello, sir. My name is Shin. Are you the professor that will be dueling me?"

"Indeed I am, Signore Shin." Professor Chronos answered naturally. "My name is Chronos de Medici, acting Chief General Director of Practical Application at the academy and your Duel Proctor for duration of this Duel. Here are the rules. If you win, then you are accepted at the academy. Should you lose however, you will have to wait until next year in order to apply to Duel Academia again. Is that understood?" seeing Shin nod, Chronos continued "Then without further ado, let's start this Duel shall we? Duel Coat, on!" and the device around the professors torso activated on command.

Shin marveled at the device.

"Wow~ That's a really cool Duel Disk you have there professor~"

"Naturally. All high achieving students are issued such Duel Disks. I'm certain you will get one as well if you work hard enough." Chronos smirked ' _That is if you can win.'_

Shin, however, only grinned and reached behind him.

"Nah~ I don't need it. It looks like it takes some time to set up before a duel and I can be quite impatient, so having one of those would only get in the way. Besides~ why would I want that big and heavy-looking Duel Disk, when I have THIS." Shin said while pulling something out from behind him.

That something being his own Duel Disk.

' _W-What_ _kind of Duel Disk is that? A new model or something?_ _And more importantly, where did he pull it out from?!'_ professor Chronos was, understandably, surprised.

After all, the Duel Disk Shin just pulled out (where from isn't important right now) wasn't your average Duel Disk or Duel Coat. It was… just the main body. To which a sort of glove was attached.

"U-Um, Signore Shin. How exactly are you going to duel with.. that? It doesn't even have Monster or Magic card Zones." he said pointing towards the main body of Shin's Duel Disk.

"Oh don't worry, sir. This is just it's standby form. See this glove attached to it? This must first be on my hand in order to start the thing up." shin said as he slid his hand into the glove, flexed his fingers to settle the glove properly on his palm, then pointed towards a little arrow next to the screen positioned on top of the Duel Disk's body. And arrow which pointed towards his deck space.

"Then I place my finger on this little arrow here and.." he said placing his finger on the arrow.

And a mere second later a mechanical buzz was heard, after which the screen along with various lines on the Duel Disk's body lit up. After that, from the Graveyard slot, a rectangular piece of metal exited, which then opened backwards, towards Shin's elbow and extended outwards a bit. That, along with another arrow exiting from under the Duel Disk's body, connected through a sliver of transparent material, which then also extended towards Shin's palm. And upon that transparent material. A layer of digital energy was projected. That was where Shin could play his monsters. And as for his Spell and Trap cards, a single slot on the interior side of the Duel Disk, was present. All Shin needed to do was insert the Magic cards he waned into that very slot and the Disk would take it from there. Above that slot were five buttons in order to activate said Magic cards.

Professor Chronos was left staring in awe at the piece of machinery.

Seeing this Shin lightly chuckled. He then reached towards his main Deck, taking it out of its holster and inserting it into the front of the Duel Disk, where the Deck slot was.

"It's only a prototype. The third of it's kind. Seto-chan only gave it to me because I'm going to Duel Academia. He wants me to collect data on performance whatsoever. But even then, it probably won't be released to the public for… quite a while to come. It's still pretty badass though."

Seeing Shin was becoming engrossed in his own world while admiring the Duel Disk, Chronos cleared his throat, thus snapping Shin back to reality.

"Then it's safe to assume that you are now ready for your exam?" seeing Shin nod his head vigorously, Chronos continued "Then with without further ado" He said while both drew their cards.

""Duel!"" the shouted in unison.

-GX-

Around twenty minutes later, students wearing blue uniforms began entering. These were the Duel Academia's 'Elite'. Members of the academy's Obelisk 'Blue' Dorm. They were people who either had connections, or ranked very high in their dueling Prep School.

However, upon entering, two students noticed something on one of the Duel Fields. That was professor Chronos shaking a young boys hand. This surprised the two.

"Isn't that professor Chronos? Who is that boy he's with?" asked one of the two students.

This student, was a girl. A beautiful girl at that. She had long, dark blond hair and hazel eyes. She was wearing the standard sleeveless female Obelisk Blue uniform.

This girl, was Asuka Tenjoin.

"I'm not sure, but considering where we are and the fact that they're shaking hands, I'll take a wild guess and say that they just finished dueling. And that boy won." said her companion.

This time, the student was a male. He has blue hair which is sectioned in three layers and blue eyes, positioned directly beneath the bangs of the layer closest to the face. His attire consisted of the standard male Obelisk Blue uniform with a more pronounced collar, tighter-bound sleeves and pointed rims coming out of the costumes lower back.

This, was Ryo Marufuji. More commonly known as the 'Kaiser'. The top student at Duel Academia.

"The question is, did he win against a prototype deck or against Chronos's REAL deck?" wondered Asuka.

"I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, Asuka."

' _Yeah I hope. Because if he won against Chronos's real deck, then things will get that much more interesting at the academy.'_ thought Asuka with a tiny smirk.

 _Back with Shin~_

"Congratulations, Signore Shin. You have won yourself a place at Duel Academia." professor Chronos said as he finished shaking Shin's hand. "You should remain here until the exams officially end. That way you may observe your future competition. Though I don't think it's necessary, if our Duel was anything to go by it."

"Maybe so. But yeah you're right. No point in going home now. Not when the real fun is about to start! Oohh~ I can't wait to see what the other applicants are capable of!" Shin's excitement started shining through again. "Not to mention I can start making new friends! Seeya teach!" Shin said before taking off, leaving yet another person in the dust.

' _Why do I get the feeling that I'm not the first or last person to taste this dust..'_ thought Chronos before following Shin's example and leaving the Field.

However as soon as he was away from prying eyes, a light scowl made it's way onto Chronos's face. ' _That boy went easy on me.. I'm certain!'_ he thought bitterly ' _Was he trying to mock me? A teacher at Duel Academia? Or..'_ he went into deep thought mode.

'.. _was he trying to gouge out my strength? Did he realize I had a bad hand and wanted to give me a chance to make a come back? Grr.. Darn it. Questions without a certain answer it seems._ _No matter. I'll find the answer soon enough._ _'_

Pushing those thoughts away, he made his way back to the other Duel Examiners.

Back with Shin, he had now put his Duel Disk away and had made his way up the stairs and back into the stands. There, he noticed that other students have arrived. However these students weren't from Duel Academia. ' _Applicants just like me huh? Looks they arrived here a little early as well. They no doubt got here early so to steel their nerves and get used to the environment before stepping out on the Field.'_ concluded Shin.

As he made his way back he noticed a student with a white uniform and black hair, calmly sorting through his deck and getting his Duel Disk ready. Recognizing the pattern as the same thing he did, Shin approached the boy.

"Hey there!" Shin said happily, while having his signature toothy grin.

"H-Huh? Oh, hello there"

The boy seemed a little startled by Shin's sudden appearance, but managed to greet back properly.

"So, you an Applicant?" seeing the boy nod, Shin continued "Nice! I'm Shin. Nice to meet ya!" Shin said, while extending his hand towards the black haired boy.

"Daichi, Daichi Misawa." the newly named Daichi answered, while grasping Shin's hand and giving him a firm handshake.

"You asked me if I was an Applicant, I take you are one too?" Daichi asked.

"Technically yeah." ' _Technically?'_ thought Misawa curiously, as Shin plopped on the seat next to him.

"Then I hope we both can Duel to our fullest and enter the academy." said Daichi with a smile.

Shin, however only scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Seeing this Misawa raised an eyebrow.

"Hehe~ About that." Shin started "I'm afraid you're alone there. I don't need to take the exam anymore." he grinned.

"Huh? What do you mean? Did you fail your test already? B-But the exams didn't even start!"

As smart as he was, Misawa didn't understand how it was possible to fail the exam before it even began. Shin, only smiled and put those thoughts to rest.

"No I didn't fail. I happened to arrive here a little...quite...OK a lot too early. And no Proctor was ready to duel BUT" Shin made a dramatic pause and continued "The teacher overseeing the exams was kind enough to act as my Duel Proctor. And so I managed to win my way into the academy earlier than every other Applicant."

"Wait! You dueled a teacher?" seeing Shin nod, Misawa opened his eyes wide

"B-But since you got into the academy, that means you -!"

"Won?" finished Shin. Misawa could only wordlessly nod.

"Fufufu~ I did indeed win." Shin started "BUT!" and continued when seeing Misawa's astounded face. "He definitely didn't go all out."

"What do you mean?" asked Misawa confused

"I mean, he didn't go with the intention of winning. Otherwise, the result would've been different. Though I think he got a bad starting hand. Like, really bad. I even drew out the duel, so to give him the chance to bring out his toughest monsters, since I wanted a challenge." Shin pouted ' _I hope he didn't take that as me mocking his skills.._ '

' _He wanted a challenge? When already facing a teacher?! Just who is this person?'_ thought Misawa shocked.

Seemingly snapping out of his stupor, Misawa remembered something.

"W-Wait a second… You said your name was Shin?" seeing Shin nod, he continued "When the written exam results came out, I remember seeing the name 'Shin' right under my own, who ranked Number 2. You wouldn't happen to.." he didn't even need to continue when seeing Shin's smirk. ' _I see. Then it's no wonder he was able to win his duel. It's that much more plausible if the teacher did indeed get a bad hand.'_ Misawa concluded.

"Looks like it's about to start for real." Shin remarked after looking around.

Following his example, Misawa looked around him as well and noticed that by now, almost all Applicants have gathered and were ready to duel. Almost. There were some, like a certain teal haired young man, who were still very nervous. And no sooner had he finished looking around, did a voice resound over the intercom, asking students to proceed to the respective Duel Field.

"Looks like it has started. It won't be long before they call my name." said Misawa

Shin nodded and stood up, Misawa watching with curious eyes.

"Don't worry about it Misawa. I'm sure you can win without too much trouble. Just stay on your toes and keep cool. That should do it. After all~ you might be second best around." Shin said with a smile, while going up the stairs to the upper level of the stands.

Hearing this, confused Misawa. So he decided to ask.

"Wait a second." Shin stopped to hear him out. "What do mean, 'second'? Do you mean to say you're first?" Misawa asked with a raised eyebrow. Shin turning with a grin.

"Who knows~ We'll just have to test it out someday, won't we?" he asked with a hint of excitement. Seeing this, Misawa also grinned, letting his competitive personality show.

"We will indeed."

Hearing his answer, Shin left with a smile still plastered on his face. ' _Now then~ Let's observe those Obelisk blue students that are spectating. Besides a select few, like Misawa, those are the students that should be watched for.'_

Arriving where the academy's students were, Shin picked out a quiet corner where he wouldn't be noticed, and watched the duels unfold.

' _Time to see what these Applicants are capable of'_ Shin grinned childishly.

-GX-

The Duels went pretty smoothly from there. The duelists would be called down to the Duel Field, the would duel the Proctor and, if they won, would go back to the stands and wait for the exam to finish and if they lost, they would have to go back home with their tail between their legs and wait for another year. Although that wasn't really the case. So far the only ones that left were the ones that couldn't take the pressure and gave up. And even then is was only around five people that left. While the remaining dozens of students went on with their duels.

' _Speaking of fairing bad under pressure...'_ Shin thought while observing a short teal haired teen. ' _I don't want to be that guy, but he looks like he's barely holding it together down there. At least if he does win, that means he got potential to become one of the best. Take Yugi for example. He was just like him in the beginning. Fortunately that all changed after meeting Atem. Hmm… does that mean he should also meet someone more confident? I don't think it would be a problem, considering where we're going.'_

Taking his eyes away from the teen, Shin's eyes landed on his newest acquaintance.

' _Looks like Misawa is doing well. From the looks of it, he got the Proctor on the defensive._

 _Careful though, Misawa. Push him too far into a corner and you might end up in the same corner yourself.'_ Shin thought.

A couple minutes passed by and something quite surprising happened. The teal haired teen managed to win, with some difficulty however. ' _Looks like I was right. He can do it.'_ though Shin.

On the other hand, however, Misawa was still dueling. And it looks like the duel will only drag on for longer, since the Proctor managed to build himself and defensive wall, consisting of Defense position monster with over 2500 DEF Points.

' _This is exactly what I meant Misawa. He's been backed far enough into a corner to build himself an impenetrable barrier. And since you are in the same corner now, you can no longer back out, only break through.'_

Down on the Field, stood the Proctor, Big Shield Gardna and Gear Golem the Moving Fortress defending him. Stood opposite of the Proctor, was Misawa himself, his Vorse Raider in ATK Mode, and one face-down Magic Card on his field.

"No matter how capable you may be, in the face of my Super Defense Deck, you can no longer reduce my Life points." said the Proctor.

'T _hat looks to be the case. But there are actually quite a few way to win for Misawa, though I don't think he...huh?'_ Shin noticed something.

The Proctor only had 1900 LP left. The exact amount of ATK points that Vorse Raider had.

' _A direct Attack with Vorse Raider is all he needs to win. He could summon another Monster to attack Gardna and switch it to attack, but that would still leave him 100 LP. I can't see any way to...!'_ Shin opened his eyes slightly wider. ' _That face-down card! If that's what I think it is, then he will win. Now then, Misawa. Let's see if I was right..'_ thought Shin with anticipation.

And right he was.

"I activate my Trap Card, Ring of Destruction!" shouted Misawa, as he revealed his Trap card, making Shin grin widely.

' _Called it!'_ cheered Shin in his mind.

"Guh!" the Proctor was surprised, knowing what would happen.

Misawa however, decided to explain nonetheless.

"This card destroys one Monster on the Field, after which both sides take damage equal to the destroyed Monster's ATK."

A collar of sorts, with grenades attached to it, then latched onto Vorse Raider's neck, soon after exploding, destroying the monster and inflicting 1900 points of damage to both players.

This, of course, meant that the Proctors LP dropped all the way to 0, while Misawa still had 1300 LP remaining, signaling Misawa's win.

"The examination duel is over" the Proctor said while deactivating his Duel Disk. "Congratulations, you've won."

"Thank you very much." Misawa said while bowing.

Up in the stands..

"Daichi Misawa, Examinee number 1 is pretty good, isn't he?" said a young man with short blue hair and a curl on the side of his face.

"It was worth coming all this way to see him after hearing the rumors, wasn't it Manjoume -san? Asked a teen with brown spiky hair.

"Nonsense. These entry exam levels are just set at a low level." Manjoume, a teen with spiky black hair, said while leaning backwards onto the seat. "Coming out of the academy for this was such a waste." he added, while looking back down. "The Duel Academia doesn't need to Kings, only one." he said with a smirk.

Shin, managed to catch their little conversation.

' _Looks like we found out who the reincarnation of Seto-chan is at the academy, huh?'_ Shin deadpanned.

Deciding to ignore the three for now, Shin made his way down to the lower stands, in order to congratulate Misawa on his win. However, when making it there, he noticed a new face that he hasn't seen in the stands before.

It was a young boy, probably around Shin's age. He wore a light gray gakuran, which was open and a red T- Shirt underneath. He also wore a backpack. However, what really caught Shin's attention… _'Is that a Kuriboh on his head?!'.._ was the boy's hairstyle, which was oddly reminiscent of the tiny brown fur ball. The fact that the boys hair was also brown, didn't help. And it only made Shin have to hold in his laughter even more.

Managing to calm himself, he made his way to the boy, noticing that he was talking to the teal haired examinee from before.

"Number 1's combo was amazing, huh?" the young Kuriboh-haired teen asked.

"Of course it was. That's Misawa-kun, Examinee Number 1, the one who aced the written exam." came the reply from the shorter boy.

"Oh, so that's what your Examinee Number means, huh?"

"You pass depending on your grades on the written portion and the details of your duel." elaborated the teal haired boy.

' _You know, I think I'll call them 'Shorty' and 'Kuriboh' for now. For the sake of the audience.'_ thought Shin, seemingly breaking the Fourth Wall.

"Even though I managed to win my duel, I'm not sure if they'll accept me, being that I'm Examinee Number 119 and all..." 'Shorty' said depressingly.

"Don't sweat it!" the 'Kuriboh' said while patting 'Shorty' on the back, seemingly trying to cheer him up. "If you're lucky enough, you'll pass! I'm Number 110, after all!" said the 'Kuriboh' with a grin.

"You're an Examinee too?" the 'Kuriboh' nodded "But the duel for the 100s already ended with the first group." 'Shorty' said, causing a comical face to appear on the 'Kuriboh'.

' _Interesting. I was too early, and he appears to be too late. Opposites attracting perhaps~?'_ Shin thought amused.

In the Proctor stands…

The Proctors and Judges where talking amongst themselves, as professor Chronos was finishing up some paper, preparing to leave. But, as he stood up, the same black haired man from the entrance approached him, once again.

"I beg your pardon, sir. There's one more examinee that made it to registration at the last minute..." the man said.

"What was he ranked at the written exam?" Chronos asked.

"He's Examinee Number 110."

"He hardly has any sense of readiness if he's coming in at the last minute, no ne? We have no need for a dropout boy at the academy, no ne?" Said Chronos harshly.

"However, he made it one time, to a point. So he _does_ qualify for the duel exam." said one of the Proctors.

"And a train accident is to blame, anyway…" added an elderly Judge.

"Not letting him take it might not be such a good idea, don't you think" asked another.

"Non problema—lema! Non! Non! Non!" Chronos snapped, while shaking his head, scaring the others present.

At the same time, a phone began ringing. Chronos reached into his pocket and answered the phone.

"Yes? Who may I ask is speaking? Oh it's you Mister Principal" Chronos said sweetly.

" _I heard there was an Examinee that made it to the exam at the last minute due to a train accident."_ said the Principal, surprising Chronos. " _He may have done poorly on his written exam, but don't deprive him of his chance. Also, I received notice that there was also a student, who had a recommendation letter written by Seto Kaiba himself, is that true?_

"Yes, that is true. I have the recommendation here with me."

" _That is certainly a new addition to our school. And speaking of addition, please don't fail the Examinee we talked about, simply because he came a little late. Our schools objective is to garner a wide range of talents to train them into well-rounded duelists, after all."_ the Principal finished.

"Such sharp ears..." Chronos said after taking the phone away from his ear "You sly old dog..." he added with disdain after closing said phone.

' _The Duel Academia is an academy for the Dueling Elite's such as Signore Ryo, Signore Manjoume, Signore Asuka and very likely, Signore Shin! Perche?! Why is Principal Samejima_ _backing that dropout boy?'_

"I will be dueling that Examinee!" Chronos said while turning to leave.

"P-Please wait!" a judge said, stopping Chronos in his tracks. "Professor Chronos, please take an examination deck. He continued after pulling out a briefcase full of decks.

Chronos merely glanced at it, before turning back and walking out.

"I will be using my own deck!" was the last thing he said, before leaving.

' _Again?'_ thought the judges together.

Back in the stands, Misawa had sat back in his seat quietly, before a wild Kuriboh, I mean, the brown haired boy from before showed up.

"You're one tough customer."

"I guess" Misawa answered politely.

"You may be the second-strongest out of this year's examinees." the 'Kuriboh' said.

Misawa's ears perked up at the statement which, unbeknownst to the 'Kuriboh', he had heard before.

However, just then, a voice called over the intercom.

' _Examinee Number 110, Judai Yuki-kun...'_

Hearing this, the newly named Judai perked up.

"Alright then, I'm up." he said excitedly.

"Hey you." Misawa called out, making Judai turn his attention to him.

"Why am I Number 2?" he asked curiously.

"Because I'm Number 1." Judai said with a grin, while pointing at himself.

This surprised Misawa. Not because of the statement itself. But because of the individuals who said it. Judai turned and left towards the Field, after which, Misawa gained a barely visible smirk on his face. ' _I truly wonder about that statement, "Number 1". You two obviously haven't met yet.'_ he thought.

Speaking of, said person. Shin, who had heard all of it, reached Misawa and 'Shorty' pretty quickly.

"Congrats on winning Misawa. Did you take my advice to heart?" asked Shin, scaring 'Shorty' and slightly surprising Misawa, who turned back and to answer.

"I did, so thank you for that. Also, you should have been here just now. There was a boy who.." he didn't even have to finish, after seeing the giant grin, plastered on Shin's face. Seeing this, Misawa smiled. "You heard him too, didn't you?"

"That I did. Though now, the question is: 'Who is ranked what?' Who will claim Number 1? Who will get Number 2? And who will have to settle for Number 3? Those are the current question, Misawa-kun. And I for one **definitely** want to find out." Said Shin, with his grin becoming ever wider.

'Shorty' was confused. 'How did these two know each other?', 'Are they friends?', 'If they are, are both as strong as the other?' were only a few questions that came to 'Shorty's' mind. However he was quickly snapped out of it, when Misawa spoke again..

"I agree." Misawa said, while looking down at the Field, where Judai was currently standing. Following the example, Shin and 'Shorty' looked down as well, however Shin felt eyes on him. So, turning to where he thought the source was, he noticed Asuka. Their eyes met briefly, before she quickly turned to look at the Field. Shin could only raise an eyebrow, but decided to ignore it for now and turned his attention back to the field.

With Asuka and Ryo, moments prior…

Asuka was watching Misawa's duel as it came to an end. He had skills, she gave him that. She then looked at Ryo and noticed he was looking at someone in the stands. Following his line of sight, she noticed Judai and 'Shorty' conversing. Soon enough Misawa appeared and sat down. She noticed them talking until the voice over the intercom called for Judai. This surprised her, as she thought the 100's group was done already. She noticed Judai saying something to Misawa, after which he left. However, as her sights were leaving Misawa and the teal haired boy, she noticed someone else coming towards them. So looking closely, she realized that it as the boy from before. She observed him as he was talking to Misawa, seeing his grin the entire time. She didn't even realize that her eyes never left his face. As is sensing someone was staring, the boy turned his head towards her and their eyes met, breaking her out of her staring. So she quickly looked back onto the field, too flustered at being caught staring to look back at the boy.

Seeing Asuka move so sudden, Ryo raised an eyebrow and asked

"Something wrong, Asuka?"

"No! Nothing's wrong! Look the Duel is about to start." Asuka answered quickly. A little too quick.

' _That's out of character...'_ Ryo thought, but decided to push those thoughts away.

So he followed Asuka's sight and looked onto the Field, where professor Chronos had made his appearance.

-GX-

On the Field, stood professor Chronos, his assistants having just set up his Duel Coat. From the floor, rose Judai himself, having his Duel disk ready and at his surroundings.

"Bon Giorno!" Chronos greeted.

"J-Judai Yuki, sir!" Judai greeted back, after straightening his posture.

"Signore Judai, I am Chronos de Medici, acting Chief General director of Practical Application at the Academia." Chronos said with a formal tone, just like he used before dueling Shin.

"What an honor. To think that the Director of Practical Application would challenge me!" Judai marveled. "I'm sure that means you're expecting a lot out of me!'

This made Chronos gain a big sweatdrop at the back of his head. _'If you were Signore Shin, then that statement would have been true. But now… I'm struck speechless...'_

In the stands…

"Who'd think Professor Chronos would deal with this personally" the blue haired Obelisk from before, Torimaki, said surprised.

"That Judai fellow must be pretty big, huh?" asked the brown haired one, Mototani.

' _I can't believe this!'_ thought Manjoume through gritted teeth.

In the upper stands…

"I didn't expect professor Chronos to deal with this himself." said Asuka surprised.

"Maybe it's a similar situation, to the student from before?" wondered Ryo.

Nodding, Asuka looked back on the field, but not before taking a quick glance at Shin, who was still looking onto the field.

With Shin…

' _So professor Chronos will fight him as well? How ironic indeed. He had to fight me because I was too early and now he has to fight Judai, because he was too late.'_ Shin thought, slightly amused. ' _Hmm~ Nevertheless. I'll at least get to confirm my theory on our duel. Did he draw a bad hand, or was he going easy on me on purpose?'_

Back on the Field…

"Duel Coat, on!" Chronos said, activating his Duel Coat.

"That thing is really awesome. Professor, can I buy one of those coats too?" Judai asked, while marveling at the coat.

"All of the high achieving students have one." said Chronos with as smirk. ' _Not that it would concern a drop out boy like you. I never will'_ he added in his mind.

"All right, then. I'll do my best!" Judai said while getting his Duel Disk ready.

""DUEL!"" they shouted in unison, as they drew their cards.

 **J** **udai** **:** 4000LP

 **C** **hronos** : 4000LP

"My turn! I draw!" Judai shouted as he drew his card. Quickly studying his hand, he made his move. "I summon Elemental Hero Avian in DEF Mode!"

The green feathered man materialized and assumed his defensive stance.

Elemental Hero Avian -LV3- (1000/1000)

Chronos merely hums while observing the monster

"Next, I'll set a card face down on the field. My turn is finished!" Judai continued as the card appeared on his field.

"Then it is my turn." Chronos declared as he drew his card. _'A HERO Deck is it? I suppose you could say he's a small town hero, then.'_ Chronos thought with a smirk. "Allow me to teach you just how broad the world is! From my hand I activate the Spell card, Confiscation!" Chronos declared as the card rose up on the field.

"What? Confiscation?" Judai asked, slightly worried.

"By paying 1000 LP, I can look at my opponents hand, pick one card from it and send it directly to the Graveyard."

Judai's hand was then projected onto the Field, with Chronos looking through it with an amused expression.

"Sure enough, a dropout boy's deck, I see." Chronos chuckled, making Judai and Shin, who had heard what Chronos said, lightly scowl.

' _Is he scolding the deck I put my life into?'_ Judai thought slightly angry.

' _That's not something you can say about someone's deck. It's an extension of the duelists soul! Every card has it's use.'_ Shin thought ' _Not to mention…A HERO deck's_ _strength lies in the unity of the heroes. So you haven't seen it's real strength yet, professor Chronos...'_

Chronos quickly decided which card would go to the Graveyard _._

"I'll send Monster Reborn to the Graveyard!" he said as the card went to the Graveyard. "Then, I'll place two cards face-down on the field. Next, I activate the Magic card, Heavy Storm! This card will destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the entire field!"

As the Spell card activated, strong winds began raging through the field, picking up and destroying Judai's face-down Trap, Draining Shield. It also picked up and destroyed Chronos's two face-down cards, revealing them to be Statue of the Wicked.

Seeing this Judai smiled, thinking the professor made a mistake.

"But Professor, your cards got mixed into it, too!"

Chronos, however, chuckled.

"That's what they call "being a frog in a well." Ribbit, ribbit!" he said while making stereotypical frog noises.

Suddenly, thick purple mist started covering the field, which confused Judai.

"What's this?"

"I special-summon…two Wicked Tokens!" Chronos announced, as the two creatures rose up from the mist, surprising those in the audience.

Back in the stands…

"I don't have a clue as to what happened..." wondered 'Shorty' confused

"Statue of the Wicked is a special Trap that creates Tokens when destroyed. Prof. Chronos destroyed his own Traps to utilize this effect." Misawa elaborated.

"It also means that Chronos now has two monsters on his side of the field. And if I'm remembering correctly, as to what lies within an Ancient Gear Deck…then it also means that he now has two sacrifices ready." Shin deducted, which made 'Shorty' open his eyes wide. _'_ _And it also means that my theory was correct. With those cards, he could've easily ruined my field and won. So he really did get a bad hand, after all…'_ Shin thought while slightly narrowing his eyes. For Shin, that meant his opponent didn't get to show his true strength. And Shin wanted to face against opponents when they would pose a challenge. A one sided duel like Chronos and Shin's was just boring for young Shin.

In another part of the stands…

"That's no entry exam deck!" Torimaki exclaimed. "It's Chronos's own Dark Ages Deck!"

"He established his own combo and simultaneously quartered off Number 110's Trap!" added Mototani.

"For there to be an examinee that stands a chance against that deck…" Torimaki started

"…Is wishful thinking, huh?" Mototani finished. Unbeknownst to them however… Shin suddenly had to sneeze at that moment.

"I thought that examinee was something special, but I was sorely mistaken" said Manjoume with a chuckle. "Professor Chronos plans on giving that dropout boy's fleeting dreams a thorough stomping on." he added, with his smirk growing.

With Asuka and Ryo…

"I feel sorry for him. It appears Chronos doesn't fancy him" Asuka said while supporting her head on her hand.

"This should be worth seeing." said Ryo, causing Asuka to look at him surprised. "The Dark Ages Deck…thanks to Number 110 here, we might have the honor of seeing it's legendary rare card. Not to mention, the boy from before seems to have won against that deck. Whether by pure luck or actual skill, beating that deck is still definitely possible." Ryo continued. Realizing he was right, Asuka turned her sight back onto the Duel.

Back to the Duel…

"My turn is not over as of yet!" said Chronos.

However, Judai only seemed to get more excited, like a certain someone in the audience.

"Sounds fun! What are you going to show me this time, Professor?"

"Next, I sacrifice my Wicked Tokens…" Chronos started with his eyes closed, the Tokens themselves suddenly catching fire and disappearing. "...to summon my Ancient Gear Golem!" Chronos announced as he raised the Monster card high.

Up in the audience, Manjoume, Daichi and 'Shorty' gasped.

"That's his...legendary rare card…!" Asuka said shocked.

Ryo only watched on with keen eyes.

' _Here it comes...That decks supposed Ace…!'_ Shin watched on, slight excitement taking over.

Back on the Field, Judai could only watch on, wide eyes and mouth slightly agape, as the enormous machine-like soldier rose up, towering over the entire Field.

-GX-

"Awesome! The rumors told me about this thing" Judai said as the smoke from the monsters summoning disappeared.

Ancient Gear Golem -LV8- (3000/3000)

Everyone in the applicant audience was left mouth agape at the monster. Even Misawa and even some students from the academy were left astounded and were watching on with keen eyes.

"Wow! An eight-star monster out of the blue like that!" 'Shorty' exclaimed.

"I did tell you that due to those Statues of The Wicked, he had two monster ready to be sacrificed, didn't I Shorty?" said Shin, after folding his arms and his eyes never leaving the monster, studying it closely. ' _So that's Prof. Chronos's Ace monster, huh? A monster that can rival even Blue Eyes… And it's effect makes it even more dangerous.'_

"Chronos de Medici has yet to lose once he's summoned that card. I wouldn't have pegged that examinee to have the power to make the Professor take it this seriously." said Ryo

"It _can_ be beat though. You said it yourself right? That boy managed to beat Chronos. Maybe this one can too." Asuka said while turning to look at Shin, only to be surprised when seeing his eyes slightly glowing.

Back on the Field…

"Ohohohoho~" Chronos began laughing "Here I go! **Ultimate Pound!** "

The gears inside the monsters face began spinning rapidly, after which it raise it's massive hand and went for Avian, who was bracing for the impact. The fist came and Avian was swiftly destroyed.

"Ancient Gear Golem has an ATK of 3000, while Avian only has 1000 DEF! It didn't stand a chance!" shouted 'Shorty'.

' _No shit Sherlock. that's how the game works...'_ thought Shin with a tiny sweatdropped, but quickly focused back on the duel.

"And that's not the worst of it." began Misawa "When that monster attack a DEF monster, whose DEF points are lower the Ancient Gear Golem's attack, then the difference is dealt as damage to the opponent."

"N-No way… then, that monster defies the rules doesn't it?" asked 'Shorty' weakly

"It doesn't, actually. Quite a number of the newer Monsters have an effect, that let's them bypass a DEF monster and still deal damage. Cyber End Dragon, for example, has the same effect." Shin answered

That name seems to have had an effect on 'Shorty', as he had opened his eyes wide, something that Shin caught, but decided not to question.

Back on the Field…

Judai had just received 2000 Points of Damage, thanks to Ancient Gear Golem.

"Ohohohoho~ Already lost your fighting spirit, have you?" Chronos taunted.

However… Judai began laughing. Lifting his face up, it revealed a smiling Judai.

"I'm really touched that...that the General Directing Professor is dueling his hardest against me!"

' _What? Just how mistaken is he?'_ Chronos wondered, completely taken aback. ' _I never intended to let a dropout boy like you go through the gates of the prestigious Duel Academia!'_ he added while gritting his teeth.

' _This is where my true power'll get put to the test!'_ Judai thought with a grin.

As his hand hovered over his deck, he heard the sound of a familiar monster, making Judai wonder who was calling him. As he drew the card, he got his answer.

In the form of Winged Kuriboh.

' _It's you from earlier!'_ Judai thought surprised. _'It couldn't be...'_ he thought as remembered his encounter with a certain someone. _"It wants to stay with you. Consider it a lucky card."_ he remembered the individual say.

' _I see then. You're winged Kuriboh, huh?'_ to which the Kuriboh winked, making Judai laugh awkwardly.

' _Alright! I'll trust in you.'_ "From my hand, I summon Winged Kuriboh in DEF mode! Then I'll place a card face-down" Judai shouted, as the little furball materialized.

Winged Kuriboh -LV3- (300/200)

' _That card! It's his...I see. So Winged Kuriboh found a new partner as well, huh?_ _Poor guy. His cards are leaving him left and right. Quite sad, wouldn't you agree?'_ He asked with fake hurt, directing it towards his main deck. **'Fufufu~'** s soft, female giggling was his only answer.

Smiling, Shin turned back to the duel at hand.

Back the field…

"Blahblahblahblah~"...Chronos was laughing a very retarded laugh. ' _The frig was with that laugh…?'_ thought Shin with a massive sweatdrop. If one looked closely, they would see tiny sweatdrops coming from his deck as well.

"A Winged Kuriboh...you have quite the rare card there, don't you?" asked Chronos after he finished laughing. "However, it is just a low level Monster, is it not? You may have played it in Defense mode, but it will not stave off Ancient Gear Golem's piercing effect! I suppose a smallfry monster befits a smallfry!" Chronos declared. _'I beg to differ...'_ Shin thought with a smirk, being fully aware of Winged Kuriboh's effect and special LV Card version.

"My turn, no ne?" Chronos asked as the card was ejected "This is the end. Ancient Gear Golem! Use Ultimate Pound on that Winged Kuriboh!" Chronos shouted as he pointed his finger at the Kuriboh.

Of course, the Kuriboh was easily smashed to pieces.

' _Sorry, Winged Kuriboh.'_ Judai apologized.

"Huh? Why aren't your life points decreasing?" asked Chronos perplexed.

"On the turn that Winged Kuriboh is destroyed, all Damage I would've taken is nullified." came Judai's reply, making Chronos grit his teeth again.

"Who'd think that there's a card Professor Chronos doesn't know about?" said a surprised Asuka.

"There are some places that not even a teacher can reach. The Dueling World is boundless" said Ryo wisely.

"Hehe~ And that's why it's interesting." giggled Asuka

"So, that was you small fry monsters special ability?" asked Chronos smugly, making Shin scowl. _'No one talks about one of his cards like that…! I'm starting to see your true colors, Chronos...and I don't like it.'_ thought Shin angrily. He wouldn't let anyone disrespect _his_ cards and get away with it. And it looks like Judai was on the same wavelength.

"You'll pay for calling a friend, who put his life on the line for me, 'a small fry'!" said Judai.

"Such a smart-alec. Is there a problem with me calling your throw-away monster a "smallfry'?" Chronos asked smugly, yet again, making Shin more and more angry. Fortunately it didn't last as Judai's plan was set into motion.

"There is. Winged Kuriboh's shriek is the signal that will call the monsters in my deck out into action! Trap card, activate! Hero Signal!" Judai shouted, as the face-down was revealed and lit a luminous signal on the ceiling. "From my deck I summon my second Elemental Hero, Burstinatrix!

A wild fire appeared on the field from which Burstinatrix emerged.

Elemental Hero Burtinatrix -LV3- (1200/800)

"My turn! I draw!" said Judai, while drawing his card, which turned out to be Skyscraper. "Winged Kuriboh, I've got a tight hold on all of your encouragement. Just watch me!" he said while looking at his two remaining cards, Polymerization and The Warrior Returning Alive. "And Avian is going to use his unyielding fighting spirit to come back from the dead! I activate, the Warrior Returning Alive! And with it, I bring Avian back from the Graveyard, into my hand and then, I summon him!" Judai said, as Avian took his place back onto the field.

Elemental Hero Avian -LV3- (1000/1000)

"What good will your fragile little comic book heroes do you?" Chronos asked "They're just Normal monsters!" he laughed.

"Avian and Burstinatrix...Normal monsters with low ATK are just their temporary forms." Judai began "You'll be surprised when seeing their true form, Professor." he continued as he readied Polymerization. "I activate, Polymerization! And use it to fuse Avian and Burstinatrix!"

Avian and Burstinatrix jumped into the air, where they turned into particles that merged together. From there, a half-green half-black, one winged monster, with a dragon for a hand, emerged.

"Fusion Summon! My favourite card! Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" Judai announced in Engrish.

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman -LV6- (2100/1200)

This surprised Manjoume, Ryo and Asuka, as well as 'Shorty' and Misawa, to an extent. Shin knew of the Elemental Heroes, so he wasn't surprised and only held a smirk on his face.

' _If you did that, then the card you drew earlier must've been Skyscraper, huh?'_ thought Shin.

"Cool!" shouted an excited 'Shorty'.

"Flame Wingman can only be summoned through a Fusion-Summon. It can deal damage to the opposing player equal to the ATK of the monster it destroys in battle.

' _Thanks for explaining to the young viewers at home Misawa..'_ thought Shin with an awkward smile.

"But even so, Flame Wingman's attack is only 2100. It's still nowhere near Ancient Gear Golem's 3000." said 'Shorty' depressingly.

"Not necessarily." said Shin, bringing the attention of him. "There is one card, that every Elemental Hero Deck should have, that can turn the tides and help Judai win this very turn. And if I'm correct, then the card Judai drew earlier, is that very same card. Which in turn means..." he didn't need to finish, as 'Shorty' did it for him.

"..it means he won?" asked 'Shorty'. To which Shin wordlessly nodded.

"Then that would mean, he truly _can_ be Number 1, right? Misawa asked Shin, who just shrugged, a grin plastered on his face.

"Who knows? I told you, we'd have to duke it out someday to find out." Shin said.

'Shorty' was confused, but decided to focus back on the duel at hand.

Back on the field…

"Allow me to give you a special lecture. Listen up," Chronos began "Your worthless tripe is useless in a Duel! Make sure to keep that in mind. You may have fusion-summoned it, but it's ATK is 2100. It comes well short of my Ancient Gear Golem!" Chronos said, finishing his useless lecture.

"Then allow me to teach you something too, Professor. Heroes have a battle Arena fit just for Heroes!" Judai said as he inserted the card in the Field Spell Zone

' _Here it comes…!'_ Shin thought with anticipation.

"Field Spell, Skyscraper!" Judai called, as giant buildings began rising up, surrounding the players and covering the field, turning it into a miniature city, catching Chronos by surprise. "Okay, the stage is set! Go Flame Wingman! attack Ancient Gear Golem!"

Flame Wingman, who had been perched up on the top of one of the Skyscrapers, dived down, ready to attack his target. Seeing this, Chronos smiled, thinking Judai made a mistake.

" _Scherzi_! You must be joking! Flame Wingman's ATK doesn't hold a candle to Ancient Gear Golem's!" Chronos declared, while smiling.

"Heroes always win!" Judai said as Wingman landed on the ground, after which he jumped high into the sky. "Skyscraper's effect gives an Elemental Hero, who's battling a monster with higher ATK, an extra 1000 ATK!" Judai said, causing Chronos to panic.

"O, Dio!" He shouted.

"Take this! Sky Scraper Shoot!" Judai declared as Flame Wingman, who by now was very high in the sky, dived down, whilst catching fire and gaining 1000 extra ATK.

Flame Wingman (3000/1200)

Thus, Flame Wingman dived down, directly through Ancient Gear Golem, while Chronos began to truly panic. This made Asuka, Manjoume, Misawa and 'Shorty' open their eyes wide at the explosion that ensued afterwards.

"Mamma Mia! My Ancient Gear Golem…!" He despaired, before a random piece of debris fell on top of his head, effectively shutting him up.

Flame Wingman landet next to it's owner as Judai began explaining it's effect.

"Flame Wingman's effect make you take damage equal to your destroyed monsters ATK, Professor." He said, while saluting Chronos.

"Wha-?!" Chronos didn't even get to finish, as his monster began crumbling and falling on top of him. "N-No! No! No! No!-" was all Chronos could say before becoming buried under the remains of his monster.

 **Chronos:** 0 LP

 **Winner:** Yuki Judai

' _All Ancient scrap metal now, fufu~'_ Shin thought while giggling at the teachers misfortune. _'Serves him right for disrespecting Judai's cards.'_

"Gotcha! That sure was a fun duel, Professor!" Judai said, while striking his signature pose.

And with that, the monster, along with the field disappeared, leaving Chronos in a heap on the floor.

"How? How was I beaten by that dropout boy...?" He thought in disbelief, while scowling.

Speaking of disbelief.

Manjoume and his pals, weren't fairing much better, as they too, were in a state of disbelief.

"I can't believe Professor Chronos was beaten by an examinee…!" Manjoume said.

In the top stands…

"He's pretty interesting, isn't he?" Asuka asked with a smile.

However, as she looked, she saw that Ryo was already leaving.

Back with Shin and the others…

"Way to go Number 110!" shouted 'Shorty' happily.

' _You might turn out to be a fine Rival, Number 1-kun.'_ Misawa thought with a smile. _'Then again...'_ he turned towards Shin, only to see him leaving as well. Misawa did however manage to catch a smile on Shin's face. So he turned back to the field, where Judai was celebrating his win.

"I'll be counting on you from now on, Partner" Judai said with a smile, to which the Kuriboh winked once again.

With Shin…

Roaming around the Kaiba Dome halls, Shin pulled out his main deck.

"Looks like these three years will certainly be interesting. Are you ready for it guys?" Shin asked his companion currently residing in his deck.

' _Yeah!'_ was the answer of multiple disembodied voices.

Hearing this, Shin smiled and went on his way.

' _Next stop, Duel Academia. The students better be prepared...because this generation will make waves! I'm certain of it.'_ thought Shin with a smirk, which turned to a full grin.

 **And that's a wrap!**

 **I'd like to say a few things.**

 **First off: I'd like to thank everyone that took the time to read this story of mine. I'm pretty new to this whole thing so, please excuse any mistakes I might've made. This is literally my first story of this kind.**

 **Which brings me to my next point: Please do not flame me just yet. I know I might've made some mistakes, but that is where you guys come in. Please point out what mistakes I might've made in the reviews and tell me how to fix them. Also tell me what I should improve and how. Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

 **Next, since I suck at descriptions, there may be people who didn't quite grasp Shin's appearance or how his Duel Disk looks like. Though I'm leaning towards the latter. So just for you (and since I wanted something completely original on my story) I drew the cover Photo, to give you guys a real image of what I envisioned when creating Shin and the Duel Disk.**

 **Also, as I said, this is my first story, so I didn't really know where to start. Because of that I took some inspiration from Ifraid's 'Yu Gi Oh Tag Force Evolution' and Fennikusumaru's 'Kamen Rider GX'. It's why some things may seem similar. I tried to change them up as much as I could so I didn't actually copy them. (And if you guys read this, then I hope you aren't mad.)**

 **So I think that was all I had to say for now.**

 **Again, thank you for watching and until next chapter~!**

 **P.S. please excuse any grammar mistakes I might've made. They happen to slip by sometimes~**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone~ Welcome to new chapter of Yu Gi Oh Gx the Utlimate Duelists!**

 **ClyxicRyse; Glad I have your attention, I guess~**

 **Allan Von'Skoon; Indeed, it was a good time. And I mostly share your opinion there. 5D's was pretty good, but Zexal and up...Yeaaahhh...Moving on~ Thank you~ I'll try not to disappoint. About that. I read it, but… I have never seen Zero no Tsukaima before. Like, at all. So I have no idea as to what the heck is happening. So I could not give you an honest opinion yet. I'd have to return to it after I've watched Zero no Tsukaima. But that may take a while.**

 **Matthew; The harem has been removed. I cannot say that some harem-y things won't happen, but for the most part, I'll keep it ShinxAsuka...with someone else possibly joining in from time to time.**

 **Atem95; Well here's the new chapter~ I'll try posting a new chapter every week.**

 **Kurotara; Well the harem is removed~ However check two responses up for more info~ And don't worry~ I can understand a lot of things~**

 **Sandshrew master 317; Well it's not going to be harem per say. It will be mainly ShinxAsuka, with someone possibly joining in from time to time. And to be honest, it would've been Asuka, Momoe, some of Shin's female duel spirits and quite possibly Emi. But I realized that, since it's GX there aren't really many girls to work with.**

 **So with all of those reviews out of the way, here's the new chapter~**

 **P.S I actually meant to write that the older male Shin was with, was around his early twenties. That's how old he needs to be, for Shin's backstory to work.**

Chapter 2: Red vs. Blue

"" _Duel!"" they shouted in unison._

 _And thus the duel exam between Shin and prof. Chronos began…_

 _ **Shin:** 8000 LP x5_

 _ **Chronos:** 8000 LP x5_

" _You may have the first move, Signore Shin." said prof. Chronos_

" _Thank you, sir. Don't mind if I do" Shin replied politely, while drawing his card._

 _ **Shin:** 8000 LP x6_

' _Alrighty, then. Let's see...' thought Shin as he was checking the cards in his hand 'Hmm…' Shin grinned in his mind 'A strong hand right off the bat huh? I could go all out and win on my next turn, but that won't be too much fun...' he then grabbed two cards. 'I'll test the waters with these.'_

 _So with that thought in mind, Shin made his move._

" _Alright prof. Chronos! I set a monster and a face-down. That's it for now." announced Shin._

 _ **Shin:** 8000 LP x4_

 _The professor raised an eyebrow, however he didn't question it out loud._

' _On the defense already? That's quite peculiar...' thought Chronos, narrowing his eyes slightly. 'Youngsters these days are mostly on the offensive...'_

" _Alright then! It's my turn!" Chronos announced, as he drew his card._

 _ **Chronos:** 8000 LP x6_

' _Hmmm… I don't have anything that can really help… ' Chronos thought disappointed. 'I guess I'll follow Signore Shin's example and play it safe…for now.'_

" _I'll set a monster and two face down cards!" announced Chronos._

 _ **Chronos:** 8000 LP x3_

' _Huh?' Shin thought confused. He expected Chronos to be able to summon a strong monster right off the bat. 'Well, he is acting as my Proctor so he's supposed to gouge out my strength, not finish me right off the bat"_

 _Getting rid of those thought, Shin proceeded with his turn._

" _OK! My turn! I draw!"_

 _ **Shin:** 8000 LP x5_

' _Oh! There we go!' thought Shin when he saw the card he drew. Skilled White Magician. 'I guess this can help move things along.' he thought with a small grin._

" _I summon, Skilled White Magician in ATK mode!" Shin announced, as the white garbed Monster materialized._

 _Skilled White Magician -LV4- (1700/1900)_

" _Next, I reveal my face down Monster! King of the Swamp!" he shouted as the flipped his card face up._

 _King of the Swamp -LV3- (500/1100)_

" _Now, since I go by the saying 'Better safe than sorry', I'll activate, Mystical Space Typhoon! And with it, I destroy the face down in the center!" shouted Shin, as a mini tornado picked Chronos's center card and destroyed it. Skilled White Magician also got one counter floating around it, due to it's effect. "Now it's time for battle! Skilled White Magician! Attack his face down monster! **White Magical Blast!** " _

_The monster nodded and prepared a ball of magical energy at the tip of his staff, which he then fired at Chronos's face down monster, which turned out to be Red Gadget._

' _Machine-types? Is he using a machine type deck?' wondered Shin when he saw Chronos's Red Gadget._

" _Now, King of the Swamp! Attack prof. Chronos directly!"_

 _The monster picked up a handful of the slime it was in and threw it at Chronos, hitting him right in the face. Something Shin snorted at._

 _ **Chronos:** 7500 LP_

 _Chronos wasn't exactly pleased however._

' _I didn't expect to be dueling a kindergartner today…' deadpanned Chronos in his mind, while wiping the slime off of his face._

" _Hehe~ Sorry about that professor…" said Shin, while scratching the back of his head awkwardly._

" _It's fine, Signore Shin. I've seen worse...' said Chronos a little miffed._

" _E-Ehehee…" Shin laughed unevenly. "I-I end my turn!" Shin announced._

 _ **Shin:** 8000 LP x3_

" _Then it's my turn! I draw!" Chronos called, once his face was clean and drew his card._

 _ **Chronos:** 7500 LP x4_

' _Still nothing much…but I can at least do this…!' Chronos thought as he took one of his cards._

" _I summon Green Gadget in ATK mode!" Chronos shouted, as the little green robot appeared. "When it is summoned, I can add another 'Gadget' monster from my deck to my hand! And I choose, Yellow Gadget!" Chronos announced as he added the card to his hand. "Now, Green Gadget! Attack King of the Swamp!"_

' _Heh. Not so fast…!' Shin thought with a small grin appearing on his face. Something that made Chronos's eyes open in surprise._

" _I activate my face down card! Widespread Ruin!" Shin called as the card flipped up. "When an opponent's monster attack, I can activate this card and destroy a monster on my opponent's field! And who better than Green Gadget!" Shin declared, as a little bomb appeared on Green Gadget, who soon after, exploded._

' _No, my monster...!' Chronos despaired. Gritting his teeth a little, he decided to end his turn._

" _I place a face down card and end my turn! You're up Signore Shin..." Chronos said, a little miffed, but politely as to keep up appearances._

 _ **C** **hronos:** 7500 LP x3_

" _Okey-dokey! I draw!" declared Shin, while drawing his card. 'Huh, this could come in handy...' thought Shin. "First, I'll switch King of the Swamp to DEF mode! Just so no monster can profit from it, like last time. And now! Skilled White Magician attacks directly!" Shin declared, making Chronos panic._

' _No! I don't have anything to protect me! I thought that my face down would make him too cautious to attack, but I was wrong! He is the type of Duelist that goes on the offensive after all!' panicked Chronos in his mind._

 _Shin's monster conjured up his attack and fired it directly at Chronos, making him stagger back and grit his teeth a bit._

 _ **Chronos:** 5800 LP_

" _I end my turn! You're up teach!" said Shin._

 _ **Shin:** 8000 LP x4_

" _My turn! I draw!" announced Chronos, as he drew his card, only to cringe upon seeing it. 'Useless…! Why can't I draw something that can help?!' thought Chronos despairingly 'At this rate...I'm going to lose! Without even inflicting Damage to him!'_

 _Gritting his teeth in frustration, Chronos made the best of his situation._

" _I… I set one monster on the field and end my turn…" said Chronos with his eyes closed._

 _ **Chronos:** 5800 LP x4_

' _Again? Looks like the teacher got a bad hand. Then again, that's bound to happen when you face me, isn't it..' he grinned lightly, as the medallion hanging around his neck glinted briefly. 'Still, I want to see what the teachers at Duel Academia, so I'll give the professor a little more time to summon something worth while. If not, I'm ending the duel right now' he thought, getting serious for a moment. Shin was impatient by nature, so he did not like pointless duels._

 _Back to the duel at hand..._

" _My turn! I draw!" Shin stated as he drew his card. However the card he drew made his eyes open a little wider. 'Sage's stone, huh?' He thought with a hidden smirk. 'That's certainly a good sign. Means she's ready for action'_

 _Shaking his head slightly, Shin continued with his turn._

" _Skilled White Magician! Attack his face down monster!"_

 _The monster complied and attacked Chronos's face down monster, which was Red Gadget._

' _OK so I've only seen 'Gadget' monsters in his deck so far. He's definitely using a machine type deck, but the question is…what deck requires the 'Gadget' monsters.' Shin tried to figure out what deck prof. Chronos was using. And then an idea popped in his mind._

' _Maybe he's using a Machine type deck? There's definitely quite a lot of powerful Machine type monsters out there. And if he's using Gadgets, that means there's a high possibility that Stronghold the Moving Fortress is also in there somewhere...'_

" _Well anyway, that's it for my turn. Your up professor!" Shin announced, waiting to see if the teachers._

 _ **S** **hin:** 8000 LP x5_

" _Alright then. I draw!" said Chronos, while drawing his card. 'Guh…! Still nothing?!' Chronos thought bitterly._

" _I set a monster and end my turn!" Chronos called._

 _ **Chronos:** 5800 x4_

' _Still nothing huh?...Alright this is getting boring.' Shin thought while slightly narrowing his eyes._

" _Then it's my turn! I draw!" Shin called, as he drew his card. That card, being Pot of Greed. 'Hmm~ Let's see what else we can draw.' thought Shin_

" _I activate the Spell card, Pot of Greed, which allows me to draw two extra cards!" Shin said, as he drew his two cards, while Skilled White Magician gained another counter. 'Skilled Dark Magician and …!' Shin opened his eyes considerably wider when seeing his second card. That was until he smiled. 'So you've finally joined the party Partner?' he thought, while smiling down at the card. His only response was a female giggling in his mind. 'Heh. As much as I'd **love** to see the professor's reaction to seeing you in action…I want to keep you a surprise for a little while longer.' **'...Meanie~'** though he couldn't see it, he could certainly hear her playful tone. 'You still like me and you know it~' he added playfully._

" _U-Um, Signore Shin?" Chronos asked slowly._

" _Hmm?" Shin turned towards the professor...only to see him looking at Shin weirdly. 'Oh God, not again...' Shin thought, remembering the three people at the entrance._

" _Ummm…not to be rude or anything, but you have been staring at that card, smiling the entire time, for quite a while now. It has become quite…creepy." the professor said._

 _True to his word, Shin realized that he had a big grin on his face. That, coupled with unfocused, seemingly dead eyes, would make Shin look like a total creep to someone who didn't know him. Frowning, he took a quick glance at the card._

' _You wanted this to happen didn't you?' however this time, there was no response. 'Kuh…! Leave me hanging why dont'cha?_

" _S-sorry about that, hehee~ I guessed I zoned out." Shin tried to explain._

" _I see..." Chronos answered cautiously._

' _I don't think he's convinced...' Shin sweatdropped._

" _W-Well, let's return to the duel!" Shin declared. "I summon, Skilled Dark Magician!" he said as he placed the card on his Duel Disk's energy interface._

 _Skilled Dark Magician -LV4- (1900/1700)_

" _Now it's time to battle!" 'This duel has gotten boring. It's time to end it!' Shin thought. "Skilled White Magician! Attack the professor's Set Monster and Skilled Dark Magician attack him directly!" commanded Shin, the monsters following his orders. Skilled White Magician attacked Chronos's face down monster, which turned out to be Ancient Gear Soldier. 'Huh? Ancient Gear?' thought Shin after seeing the ancient Gear monster get destroyed. After that Skilled Dark Magician charged up his own attack and launched it directly at prof. Chronos, this time, knocking the professor off his feet and onto his bum._

 _ **Chronos:** 3900 LP_

' _I thought he would be using Gadget monsters but it seems like I was wrong' the teen thought, before a tiny smirk appeared on his face. 'That means his ace should be either Stronghold, or Ancient Gear Golem. That's all I need to know for now' "That concludes my turn. Sorry teach, but I'm ending this duel next turn!" declared Shin._

 _ **Shin:** 8000 LP x6_

' _At this rate, you'll definitely make good on that...' thought Chronos, as he was standing back up._

" _Then it's my turn again! I draw!" he declared, once he was back on his feet. Drawing his card, he regained some hope. 'Finally! I can use this to actually turn things around!' Chronos thought happily._

" _I set one face down and end my turn!" Chronos declared 'Now I just have to hope that Signore Shin goes straight for the attack and I'll be able to summon my Ancient Gear Beast! From there I can turn things around' Chronos thought as he finally regained some hope._

 _ **Chronos:** 3900 LP x4_

" _Alright then! Time to end this!" Shin stated as he drew his card. Chronos smiled internally, thinking his face down card would help him make a comeback. Unfortunately for him, the card Shin drew did indeed signal the end of the duel._

" _I summon, Breaker the Magical Warrior!" Shin declared, as the armored warrior materialized on the field._

 _Breaker the Magical Warrior -LV4- (1600/1000)_

" _Pffft-!" Chronos did a spit take after seeing the monster Shin summoned. 'Of all the cards…! He just had to draw the one card that would completely ruin my only chance at victory!' raged Chronos in his mind._

" _When Breaker is Normal summoned onto the field, I can place a Spell counter on him and he gains an extra 300 ATK. And, by removing said counter, I can destroy one Magic card on the Field!" Shin declared, Chronos's very being overcome by dread. "And I choose to destroy your face down!"_

 _Breaker's sword lit up as he slashed towards the face down, sending an energy wave through it, sending it to the Graveyard._

' _Ultimate Offering, huh? That might've indeed helped him make a comeback…but as I said. This duel dragged on for long enough. Who knows when the other Applicants might arrive. I'd like to see all of them in action' Shin thought with a grin._

" _Sorry teach, but this is it! Skilled White and Dark Magicians, attack prof. Chronos directly!"_

 _Professor Chronos could only watch as the two monsters launched their attacks at him. Hitting him right in the torso and causing him to stagger._

 _ **Chronos:** 300 LP_

" _Now! Breaker the Magical Warrior! **Magical Slash!** " Shin called, the monster nodding._

 _Preparing his sword, Breaker lunged at Chronos and slashed his midsection, sending him onto his back and depleting the remaining of his LP._

 _ **Chronos:** 0 LP_

 _ **Winner: Shin!**_

 _With that, Shin had won the duel and a place at Duel Academia. The holograms disappeared and Shin deactivated his Duel Disk. Going over to the fallen professor, Shin bent down and looked at Chronos with a childish grin._

" _Looks like I won, eh prof. Chronos?"_

 _Chronos, while still in a daze, could only nod with a dumbfounded expression. Seeing this made Shin giggle, as it reminded him of another certain blonde haired duelist, who would make the same expressions when he lost._

 _Chronos soon stood back up, and after dusting himself off, extended his hand towards Shin._

" _Seeing as you won, let me be the first to congratulate you and also the first to welcome you to Duel Academia" Chronos said, regaining his formal tone._

' _Looks like he can take a loss, huh? That's a good trait to have.' thought Shin as he grasped Chronos hand and shook it._

" _Based on your score on the written exam and your performance here, I can already tell you that you will be placed in the Ra Yellow dorm." Chronos said as he let go of Shin's hand._

 _However, as Shin was about to respond, Chronos suddenly grabbed Shin's sholders and began shaking him._

" _W-wha-?!"_

" _Wake up Shin!" 'Chronos' said._

" _Huh?" was the only thing Shin managed to say, before everything turned black._

' _ **Shin.'** a voice called from the darkness_

' _ **Shin!'** it called again, this time louder._

 _However, as it called for the third time…_

' _ **SHIN!'**_

 **WHACK!**

"OWW!" Shin woke up from his dream, to a sharp pain to the top of his head. Looking around, he saw that he was in the interior of what looked to be a cargo bob, with many seats. He then noticed Misawa standing in front of him, a raised eyebrow and arms crossed.

"Oww! Did you hit me Misawa-chan?!" Shin exclaimed childishly, while holding his head.

"I'm sorry but no matter what I did, you wouldn't wake up. We just arrived at the academy and while it was tempting to just leave you here to return to Domino City, I don't want to get rid of a rival" Misawa started with a blank expression, before it turned into a smirk. "Besides, we need to see when we can get that duel between you, Number 1-kun and I underway, to see who's truly the strongest among the first years"

"Oh yeah, that." Shin remembered, while yawning and stretching his body. "Real question though. Where are Judai and Sho? Where is everybody, for that matter? Shin asked the real questions, seeing him and Misawa were the only ones present.

Shin also learned Sho's name after the exam.

"They went on ahead to get their uniforms, in order to attend the opening ceremony. Something we should be doing as well. We can't afford to be late" Misawa stated, while helping Shin to his feet.

"Yeah you're right. Let's get going then" Shin said, as he and Misawa got out of the cargo bob-thing and started making their way to the academy.

As they were walking, Shin couldn't help but notice something about the academy.

' _I'm really starting to think Seto-chan is overcompensating for something...'_ Shin deadpanned in his mind, as he took in the size of academy. Which was basically a gigantic castle like building with three roofs. The highest one being blue, the middle one being yellow and the lowest one being red. Most likely to symbolize the standing of each dorm within the academy. _'And it also looks like he's still sore about his precious Obelisk losing to Yugi-chan's Slifer.'_

"So, who were you dueling in your dream?" Misawa asked, snapping Shin out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?" Shin turned towards Misawa confused.

"On the ride here, you kept mumbling things one would say during a duel. Like 'Trap card activate' and 'Attack him directly!'. Some of the students got startled by it y'know?"

' _Crap. No wonder it felt so real...I'm happy I didn't accidentally punch someone while trying to 'draw' a card_ _'_ He thought with a sweatdrop, remembering accidentally punching a certain black haired cafe owner a few years back because of such a dream.

"It was my Entrance Duel, actually" Shin answered, making Misawa raise an eyebrow.

"Now that you mention it, you never really did tell us about that. You mentioned it briefly but then just disappeared until Number 1-kun's duel. And when that was over you just left." the black haired teen remarked, looking at his companion. "So tell me, was the teacher strong?"

"I mean, like I said, he definitely didn't go all out during my duel. But it was a complete turnaround during Judai's duel. It generally hangs on what cards you draw, so with the right cards, he's definitely worthy of being a teacher at the academy" Shin explained, making Misawa nod his head.

"You're certainly right about that. But I'd like to think that with enough careful planning, you can make a deck that offers a perfect hand everytime" he noted, Shin being the one to raise his eyebrow now.

"Careful Misawa-chan~ That could essentially make you predictable and end up in the tables being turned~" he grinned, Misawa chuckling along.

"I'll keep that in mind."

A couple of minutes later, Shin and Misawa made it to their destination, both wearing the Ra Yellow uniform.

' _Well, I guess the uniform kinda goes with my hair...but I have to start from the bottom, if I want to keep my promise'_ thought Shin, remembering the promise he made when he received his two cards at the Kaiba Dome.

"Anything on your mind? Better get it out now." advised Misawa, seeing Shin seemingly deep in thought.

However, Shin only shook his head.

"Nah, don't worry about it. It's nothing major."

"Well, if you say so..." Misawa said while looking forward.

Speaking of, on the podium, the massive screen that displayed the Duel Academia logo, turned on and showed a large man in a dark red coat. This man, was Principal Samejima.

" _Welcome, young dueling Elites. You have all used your skills and knowledge, to clear the entrance exams and open the narrow admission gates to Duel Academia. Study hard and maybe one day, one of you may become the next King of Games. But do not forget to have fun while your at it!"_ the Principal said with a smile, addressed to everyone present.

' _Heh'_ Shin grinned _'Sorry, but that spot is mine. I promised him I'd become the best in this academy, but I also made a promise long ago that I'd become the top duelist in the world. And that means claiming the title of King of Duelists!'_

And so, the screen turned off once again, leaving everyone to go along their way and make the most of the remainder of the day.

As everyone was leaving, Misawa turned to his left, where Shin formerly stood.

"I guess that our cue to go and get..." he said before noticing, that no one was there "...settled in." he finished, as he started looking around. However, Shin was nowhere to be found. ' _Huh?! Where'd he go? We still need to_ _check_ _into our dorms!'_ Misawa panicked lightly, thinking he lost Shin. And so he hurried out of the room, in hopes of finding his 'lost' friend.

Unbeknownst to Misawa however, Shin was currently walking along the academy's hallways. His objective? Finding Principal Samejima. Unfortunately for Shin however...he didn't know where Samejima's office was.

"Looks like were gonna have to search for it, since all students are either outside or in their dorms." said Shin to himself.

" **Why are we searching for the Principal again, Shin-sama?"** asked a disembodied voice. A voice Shin traced back to his Deck.

"Because I want to ask him to put me in Slifer Red." Shin said, slightly surprising the entity.

" **But why would you do that, Shin-sama? While you were sleeping, I managed to catch some students conversing about the Dorms. From what I gathered, the Slifer Red Dorm is the worst one to live in."** the voice said.

"But that's exactly it. I don't want any form of advantage. I want to start from the very bottom and make my way to the very top. That's the noble way of doing things, isn't it Eatos" Shin asked, while glancing at the glowing light, from which the voice came.

Said light, being revealed as Guardian Eatos, grew bigger and formed into the transparent form of the blonde haired Guardian.

" **Well, you're certainly right about that. It is the noble way of doing things."** Eatos said, after which the two fell into silence.

"So, what are the others doing?" Shin asked the Spirit, in order to break the silence. "I haven't heard any of them ever since we left the Kaiba Dome."

" **Most are simply dormant for the moment. There's no reason for us to come out unless something goes amiss, after all"** Eatos answered the boy, who nodded his head.

"And her? What has she been up to?" he inquired.

" **She has been sorting some things out in the Duel Monster Realm. There's something causing some unrest amongst the other spirits, so she's checking it out"** the Guardian said. At that, Shin's eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Unrest? I wonder what happened..." he mumbled, glancing at Eatos. "Do you know anything about it?"

" **I'm afraid you'll have to ask her about this, Shin-sama"** the Guardian spirit bowed her head apologetically.

"I see. Well, I better not forget about it then~" Shin sang, resuming his usual demeanor.

Watching her master resume his happy-go-lucky character, Eatos gained a small smile and nodded to herself as the two traversed the academy's hallways.

Meanwhile, in front of the academy…

"Looks like the dorms we'll be living in are split into three." said Judai, as he and Sho were checking their PDAs, whilst leaning on some stone slabs. "Oh, my Dorm's Slifer Red! What about you Sho?"

"I'm Slifer Red, too.' Sho answered, happy that he was in the same Dorm as Judai.

Just then, Misawa walked by, still looking for Shin. Seeing him, Judai struck up a conversation.

"Hey Number 2. You in Slifer Red as well?" Judai asked Misawa, completely disregarding the fact that he was clad in **yellow**.

"Well, considering my uniform is predominantly yellow..." he started while looking at his uniform "…I think it's safe to say no. I'm in Ra Yellow."

"Ah, so that's what the color means" Judai said, as if he just figured out in important piece of a mystery.

"I didn't expect you to be in Slifer Red though. That's quite peculiar..." stated Misawa while looking at Judai.

"Hmm? That's putting it somewhat vaguely..." Judai mumbled pouting.

"Well, don't let it bother you. Say, have any of you seen Shin?" Misawa asked the two Slifers, who had questioning expressions.

"You mean the guy who was Duel-dreaming on our way here?" Judai asked, as Misawa sweatdropped slightly.

"Y-Yeah, him. Have you seen him?"

"Wasn't he with you at the opening ceremony?" Judai asked, tilting his head to the side.

"He was, but he suddenly disappeared once the speech was over. I've been trying to find him ever since, as we both need to go and check in with our headmaster" Misawa said, making Judai open his eyes in slight surprise.

"He in Ra Yellow too?" asked Judai. The Ra student nodded his head right away.

"He was given the yellow uniform at the entrance Ceremony. Not to mention he scored just below me in the Written Exam, and won his Entrance Duel with relative ease apparently. So yeah, by all standards, he should be in Ra Yellow" Misawa stated, as he turned to leave again. "Anyway, I think I'll just go and wait for him at the Dorm. Seeya later, Number 1-kun."

"Catch ya later!" Judai stated. But once again, Misawa stopped in his tracks and turned back to the two Slifers.

"By the way, your Dorm is over there" he said, pointing toward the far end of the cliff, where the Red Dorm was.

Back with Shin…

' _Is this building some sort of maze?!'_ Shin raged into his mind.

It has been around ten minutes, since Shin went on his way trying to find the Principals office. The keyword, **trying**.

' _ **No, your sense of direction is just awful sometimes, Shin-sama...'**_ Eatos thought with a little sweatdrop.

Since Shin's connection to Duel Spirits was very strong, it allowed him to also communicate telepathically with his Duel Spirits. However, that link could also be made a one way, like Eatos just did, so Shin wouldn't hear her. He always got upset when people said he had a bad sense of direction.

"Alright this is getting annoying..." Shin grumbled, as he turned a corner.

Only to walk, face first, into someone. Somehow, the student managed to stay on their feet, only sending Shin on his butt with an 'oof'.

"What's getting annoying?" the student asked.

Looking up, Shin and Eatos took in the students appearance. He was a tall young man, with dark blue hair and blue eyes, wearing an Obelisk Blue uniform.

"O-Oh, umm...hi?" Shin greeted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

The student nodded and responded with a short 'Hello', before offering Shin and helping him back to his feet.

"So...again. What is getting annoying?" the student asked again.

"I'm trying to find the Principal's office but I don't know the layout of this school so I got pretty lost. Could you maybe point me in the right direction~?" Shin asked with an innocent smile.

' _A freshman, huh?'_ the student thought with a barely visible smile.

"Sure it's no problem. You go down the hallway to the right and it's the first door on the left side." the student said, pointing down the hallways just behind Shin.

"Oh! Thanks a bunch! Seeya around!" Shin said…before once again, disappearing and leaving the student in the dust.

Once the dust cleared, the student was left looking down where Shin stood, with a blank expression. _'That was the student that dueled Chronos before we arrived wasn't he?'_ he thought before closing his eyes and smiled. _'I didn't even get to ask him his name.'_ he thought, while scratching his cheek. Only to notice that something was written on his hand. Reading the message, he opened his eyes wide.

' **By the way, my name's Shin!'** the message read.

' _How did he…?'_ he tried to wipe the message off…only to realize that his left hand had a message as well!

' **I'm a wizard...'** it read this time.

' _And I am very frightened...'_ thought the student, before shaking his head and going on his way.

' _So your name is Shin, huh? I'll have to keep that in mind. If you prove yourself, I might just seek you out for a duel...'_ the student thought with a grin, before disappearing down the hallway.

Back with Shin…

" **It was nice of him to point us in the right direction."** Eatos stated, while looking at the door that read 'PRINCIPAL'.

"Yeah it was nice of him indeed. We would've still been searching for this otherwise." Shin answered. "Well then, here goes-...huh?"

Shin went to open the door, however, he stopped when he heard voices behind the door.

" _That boy **must** be put into Obelisk Blue!" a voice said._

' _That voice…isn't that Chronos?'_ Shin thought _'Hmm, I wonder what they're talking about… Time to enter Stealth Mode~'_ Shin thought happily, whilst entering the room unnoticed, using his weird natural and over exaggerated stealth.

"That boy aced the written exam, as well as the duel exam! Such talent mustn't be wasted on anything lower than the Obelisk class. His recommendation alone could count as the highest duel diploma one could get at a Duel Prep School. That's why I must request that you place Signore Shin in the Obelisk Blue Dorm. He must be amongst my Elites, principal Samejima" Chronos requested, while Samejima was reading through Shin's recommendation letter.

"Well you do have a point there, professor. He does have more than enough talent, to be placed in Obelisk Blue. He proved that much during his Entrance Duel, no?" the old man questioned with a little smirk, as Chronos cringed slightly at the reminder of his loss.

"Well, I still needed to see the recommendation for myself, before I could do anything and now that I have, I see no reason to keep Shin away from Obelisk" he smiled, as Chronos cheered internally, happy that he could add another talented young duelist to his Dorm.

Samejima then reached over to the intercom.

"Now, let me call Shin over we can tell him his new Dorm placement"

"There's no need for that~" Shin sang from behind Chronos, making his presence known.

"KYYAAA!"

Also scaring Chronos out of his mind, causing him to jump over Samejima's desk and land behind his chair.

"Ah, Shin. There you are. Looks like I won't be needing the intercom after all." Samejima greeted with a smile, not even fazed about Shin's unexpected entrance.

After hearing the name 'Shin', Chronos popped his head from behind Samejima's chair.

"Signore Shin? What are you doing here?" Chronos asked surprised.

"I came to have a talk with Principal Samejima about something when I heard my name. I got curious and decided to just come in. So what's up?" Shin said casually.

"Ah, yes. You see Shin, professor Chronos here came to deliver your recommendation letter and also to personally recommend you for the Obelisk Blue dorm. Considering who wrote and signed your recommendation letter, it could count as a Diploma from a Dueling Prep School. That would mean you can start the year as an Obelisk Blue, something only few first years can do. Now, with your recommendation and the good word professor Chronos put in, I am more than willing to assign you to Obelisk Blue" the principal smiled, whereas Shin frowned lightly.

"Yeah...about that." Shin started, whilst scratching his head. This made the other two present raise an eyebrow. "I ask that you disregard that recommendation."

"Disregard it?" asked Samejima surprised. "But, why? A recommendation letter by Seto Kaiba himself, the founder of Duel Academia, is something most of our students could only dream of having. And yet you want us to completely disregard it?"

"That's what I'm asking" Shin nodded, completely unfazed. "I would like you to disregard that letter, and assign me to the Slifer Dorm instead" Shin declared, surprising the two.

"B-But why?!" asked Chronos dumbfounded.

"You see, there is a promise I made before I got that letter. I promised I become the best in this academy, and I would do that by making my way from the bottom to the top." Shin said, crossing his arms. "That's why I wish to start from the very bottom, so I can properly make my way to Ra Yellow, and eventually Obelisk Blue."

Hearing Shin's resolve Samejima and Chronos were left silent.

While Samejima was proud, at how someone so young, could have such a mature mindset, Chronos…wasn't sharing the feeling.

' _No! Such talent shouldn't be wasted by hanging around those slackers! They'll corrupt him!'_ Chronos panicked. And he knew he couldn't change Shin's mind right now. _'I need to find a way to make him change his decision!...but how…!_ ' Chronos thought, before a light bulb went off above his head.

"Well Shin, I must say that I am surprised. Not many youngsters these days are willing to throw away their benefits, and start from the very bottom. But, if that's what you want, then who am I to get in your way." Samejima said with a smile "I'll assign you to the Slifer Red dorm right away, and notify the Headmaster to come and pick you up" Samejima said, whilst typing something on his laptop.

Snapping out of his planning, Chronos thought of something.

"But what if you were given the opportunity to switch Dorms?" Chronos asked calmly "The academy holds a Promotion Exam every month, where students that manage to pass are allowed to switch dorms. That is what you meant by 'properly' climbing up the ranks, no ne?"

"Hmm, I guess you're right, that is what I meant. Well, If I do manage to pass those Exams, then sure I'll switch dorms. Means I earned myself the promotion. If I fail, that means I just have to work harder, won't I~?"

' _Perfect!'_ Chronos thought happily. _'Then that means, if I can manage to set a duel between Signore Shin and someone from the top tier of Students at the academy, I could essentially force him up the ranks! He'll be in Obelisk Blue by the end of the year!'_ Chronos thought happily with a big smirk in his mind.

"Well then gentlemen, as much as I want to chat, I have to take my leave now" Chronos stated as he turned to leave. "Unfortunately, I still have some tests to grade and tomorrow's class to prepare. Also, Signore Shin. Class starts at 8AM sharp. Don't be late." Chronos stated, before going out the door, where Eatos was standing the entire time.

"Alright. You are now officially in Slifer Red, Shin." Samejima stated, as he put his laptop away, before going into his desk and pulling out a Slifer Red jacket and a pair of red boots. "And here's your uniform." he said, while handing said uniform to Shin. "You can put these on and leave the Ra yellow clothes here."

"Thanks principal Samejima." Shin stated, as he took the jacket and raised it to his shoulders, as if looking into a mirror, to see if it fits.

Seeing this, the principal raised an eyebrow, only to open his eyes wide, when Shin yanked the red uniform back down. However, what truly made the principal go wide eyed, was the fact that, upon closer inspection… Shin was now wearing the Red uniform?!

Looking at his hands, the principal was surprised to see the **yellow** uniform, instead of the red.

"H-How did you…?" the principal couldn't even form words.

Shin smiled and put a finger in front of his lips.

"A magician never reveals his secrets~" Shin said.

"I-I see…" Samejima said, before shaking his head lightly "Your headmaster should be waiting at the front entrance for you. You should go and meet him. You don't want to be late to the welcoming dinner after all."

"Alrighty then~ Seeya principal!" Shin said…before yet **again** leaving someone in the dust.

' _I didn't even hear the door open…'_ Samejima was left speechless at how Shin could do, what he did. But he then remembered something that made his eyes open up in surprise. _'Oh, darn! I didn't have time to warn him about Daitokuji's forgetful tendencies...'_ he sweatdropped lightly, before chuckling. "Oh well, if that's the case, then I guess Shin will just have to find his way around the island by himself~"

Back with Shin…

"Well that was easier than I thought." Shin casually said, while walking along the halls of the academy.

" **Well it's not like you asked to be made Principal of the academy."** Eatos remarked.

"True, true..." Shin started, before perking up. "Somethings going on..." he said vaguely.

" **What is going on exactly, Shin-sama?"**

"Dunno, but I think I'm gonna go check." Shin said, before turning to Eatos "You should return to the Monster Spirit Realm. You've been out here with me for a while now. Follow everyone's example and relax for a bit."

" **Are you sure?"** she asked, only to get a nod in return **"Very well, then."**

And with that, she disappeared, leaving Shin alone.

' _Now then. Let's see what going on...'_ Shin thought as he turned a corner…

...Only to bump into someone again!

This time however, it was the student that fell on their butt.

' _Huh. So this is what that guy felt when I bumped into him… also, what is wrong with these hallways?! Students just, bumping into each other, left and right!'_ Shin thought, before hearing a voice.

"Owww..."

The voice, belonging to the student he accidentally bumped into.

This voice…also belonging to a girl.

' _Oh crap...'_ Shin thought nervously, while looking down at the female student.

She was a quite beautiful girl with long, dark blonde hair. She was also wearing the female Obelisk Blue uniform. _'What's up with me always bumping into Obelisk students?'_

Not wanting to come off as rude, Shin immediately offered the girl his hand.

"Sorry about that. I wasn't really looking where I was going" Shin said, as the girl took his hand.

"I-It's fine. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going as well" she answered with a little chuckled, dusting her skirt off.

Standing back on her feet, she finally took a better look at Shin's face.

"Hey, aren't you that Applicant that dueled professor Chronos?" she asked, surprising Shin.

' _She saw that? Damn, I didn't want anyone to see that duel..._ _'_ Shin thought, deciding to be a little cautious.

"I think you're mistaking me for Judai. The Kuriboh haired lad that dueled last"

However, to Shin's surprise, she gently shook her head.

"No, I mean you. When we arrived at the Dome, myself and another student happened to see you and professor Chronos shaking hands. We just assumed that you two dueled, but we didn't see it so we aren't certain. So, did you duel professor Chronos?" she asked while looking directly at Shin.

Shin himself, looked like a deer caught in headlights. On one hand, he could try negating it, but that would most likely raise more questions down the line. On the other…he couldn't bring himself to lie to a girl. Especially this girl. _'It's like she's staring into my soul with those brown eyes of her_ _s_ _._ _Please don't look into my soul pretty girl. you'll become like the rest..._ _'_ Shin thought nervously, a hint of sadness in his eyes as bitter memories flashed in his mind..

Ultimately deciding to tell her the truth, Shin sighed.

"Yeah...we dueled. I came too early, and he acted as my proctor. And since I'm here, you can guess the outcome" He said whilst scratching the back of his head.

The girl gasped slightly, making an embarrassed blush appear on Shin's face.

' _So he managed to beat Chronos as well?'_ the girl thought with interest. _'Wait until Ryo hears about this...'_

"So, I'm Shin, by the way." Shin said awkwardly, while extending his hand toward the girl.

Said girl took the hand and smiled, shaking it firmly.

"Asuka. Asuka Tenjoin." she said.

' _That's a nice name, actually. 'Tomorrow's fragrance', huh?'_ Shin thought, pleasantly surprised.

Remembering his objective prior to the unexpected, but very welcome encounter, Shin asked Asuka something.

"Say, Tenjoin-san. Is there an Arena or something similar, close by?" Shin asked, surprising Asuka at how polite he addressed her.

"Yeah, there's a duel Arena right around that corner, actually. Also, please feel free to call me Asuka. 'Tenjoin-san' is my mother." She said with a small giggle.

"Then Asuka-chan it is~" Shin replied, without skipping a beat. Making Asuka sweatdrop, at the sudden change in attitude.

'I know I dais I don't mind, but that was a little too sudden... _'_ she thought awkwardly, a small sweatdrop on her face.

"Don't worry about it the sudden change~" Shin said, as if hearing her thoughts. "I've always been like this. I've been told I have slight bipolar tendencies, so maybe that's why I have such an eccentric personality~" he admitted without a care in the world.

' _I don't think that's something you should admit so casually, especially to a stranger. But I guess being open isn't all that bad either'_ she thought with small smile.

"Anyway! Leggo~" Shin said and, without giving Asuka a chance to question it, he grabbed her hand and started dragging her along.

"W-Wait a second! Where are we even going?" she asked, while managing to stay on her feet and catching up to Shin.

"We're going to the Duel Arena!" Shin said excitedly.

"But why?" asked Asuka confused.

"I sense a disturbance in the Force..." Shin said cryptically, confusing the blonde girl.

"What?"

"I sense trouble brewing" Shin said simply, enlightening Asuka.

After walking down the hallway, the two heard voices.

"He's the one that beat professor Chronos, even if he did it sloppily." a voice called surprising Shin and Asuka, since they each recognized the voice.

' _Isn't that the guy from the stands…Manjoume, I think his name was.'_ Shin thought, as he remembered the, distinct, rich kid tone he was using.

' _Oh boy...'_ Asuka sighed in her mind. ' _Here we go again…'_

"That was _skill._ " came the reply, the voice belonging to the ever-so-confident Judai.

"Well I'd like to see that _skill_ for myself" challenged Manjoume, his own voice being obviously condescending.

With Judai…

"I have no problem with that." was Judai's swift reply.

With both staring at each other intently, the only thing keeping them from dueling was the lack of Duel Disks. That and...

"See, Asuka-chan? I told you something was about to go down." Shin voice resounded, snapping everyone's attention to the entrance.

However, the Obelisks didn't expect to see Asuka Tenjoin, the Queen of Obelisk, to be right behind him. And they were even more shocked when they saw that her hand was linked with Shin's.

Of course, as soon as he saw it, Manjoume immediately became jealous as his face turned red with anger.

"Oi you!" Manjoume snarled at Shin, who was unfazed. He simply glanced at the spiky haired teen without a care in the world, keeping Asuka's hand linked with his.

"Yes?" he replied casually.

"What do you think you're doing with Tenjoin-kun?!" Manjoume yelled, pointing furiously at Shin.

"Huh? What I'm doing with her?" Shin tilted his head in confusion, glancing at the girl beside him. "I don't know if you have problem with hallucinations but I'm not doing anything to Asuka-chan. I just took her here with me since we heard voices coming from-"

"Not that, moron!" Manjoume interrupted, pointing at their linked hands. "I meant, why is a Slifer scum like you holding Tenjoin-kun's hands?! You'll dirty them!"

Finally realizing that Shin was still holding onto her hand, Asuka slightly blushed. ' _His hand is so soft, I didn't even realize I was still holding onto it...'_

"Well, I'll have you know that I wash my hands regularly, so you don't have to worry about Asuka-chan's hand getting dirty" Shin stated proudly, smiling like a child. "Not to mention, Asuka-chan's hands are really soft and pleasant to hold, so I don't want to let them go yet~"

Shin's answer didn't help the situation, but only served to anger Manjoume further. Fortunately, Asuka defused the situation. Also letting go of Shin's hand, much to his dismay.

"Alright, you guys, that's it. First off, what are you guys still doing here?" Asuka asked the three male Obelisk students.

"You see Tenjoin-kun, these newcomers are far too ignorant of the ways of the world, I thought I'd teach them a bit about how intense the academy can be." Manjoume stated with a smirk.

"Oh yeah, definitely~" Shin sang "With people like you, this place is definitely intense" Shin laughed without a care in the world, completely ignoring the seething Manjoume. Even Judai and Sho, who had been silent this entire time snorted at Shin's remark, receiving glares from Manjoume and his goons.

"Please don't antagonize him, Shin-kun…" sighed Asuka-chan, looking at the dual haired teen.

"But I like antagonizing people. Especially bratty people like him~" Shin laughed again, making Manjoume grit his teeth and release a growl. Shaking her head, Asuka turned back to the Obelisks.

"Well, anyway" she started, after turning to face Manjoume again. "The welcoming party at the Dorm is about to start. You shouldn't miss it."

"Tsk…Let's get out of here." Manjoume said, as the three male Obelisk students left the arena. But not before shooting a final glare toward Shin.

Left alone, Asuka now turned toward the two Slifers.

"You guy's shouldn't take up dares from Manjoume-kun and his group. They're a lousy bunch" she told Judai and Sho "and **you** shouldn't antagonize him so much. Arrogant as he may seem, he still has enough skill to put most Slifer and Ra students in their place." she told Shin, who was just checking the arena.

"Yeah, yeah whatever" Shin blatantly disregarded her warning, continuing to study the Arena. This made Asuka frown.

"I'm serious, Shin-kun! You don't want to mess with Obelisks, especially if you're a Slifer student. That never ends well" she said, as Shin began to chuckle.

"Ah but that is where I must rebuke you, Asuka-chan" he stated, glancing back at the girl. "Don't let the jacket fool you. I'm in Slifer by choice. I was second on the Written Exam, and had a recommendation, so I could've easily been put in Obelisk Blue~" he said with a peace sign and sticking his tongue out at the girl, surprising her.

"No wonder something about you looked off" Judai noted, looking at Shin's red attire. "Misawa said you were in Ra Yellow at the entrance ceremony. Suddenly seeing you in Red threw me off" he chuckled whilst scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, that surprised me too Shin-kun. Why did you ask to be put in Slifer Red?" Sho asked, as Shin placed his hand behind his head.

"Just trying to keep a promise. Plus I don't like really like being given advantages if I can help it" he shrugged, glancing at the short fellow who nodded his head.

The four descended into silence for a few second before Judai perked up and looked at Asuka.

"Hey, since you took the time to warn us, does that mean you fell in love with one of us?" he asked dumbly, making Shin do a double take before laughing.

"I don't think that's possible Aniki!" Sho said, before adding quietly "besides...I think Shin-kun is the one closest to that right now..."

However, Asuka only giggled a bit in response, making Judai sweatdrop, Sho laughed awkwardly and Shin just continued laughing.

"By the way, the welcoming party at the Slifer Red dorm should be starting soon as well. Trust me, you don't want to miss it" Asuka said with a smile, and a short giggle.

"Oh right! Let's go back to the dorm, you two." Judai said, as he started running out of the duel arena.

"W-Wait, Aniki!" Sho said, before running after Judai.

However, as he was in the hallway, Judai abruptly stopped, turned back to Asuka and Shin and asked.

"Oh yeah, what's your name?" Judai asked Asuka.

"Asuka Tenjoin." Asuka replied.

"I'm Judai Yuki! Nice to meet'cha!" And with that, Judai and Sho were out the door, leaving only Asuka and Shin.

"Interesting pair, those two" Shin noted, looking at the door Judai and Sho ran out through. Glancing at him, Asuka raised an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't you be going with them? I have a feeling you don't actually now your way around yet."

"Nah, I'm good. The headmaster should be waiting for me at the front. He'll take me to the dorm." Shin said casually.

...Before registering what he said.

"Oh crap, the headmaster must've been waiting for me for while now!" Shin panicked and started running in place.

Before Asuka could question it, his feet somehow turned into the typical, cartoonish, spinning wheel.

"It was nice meeting ya Asuka-chan, but I gotta go now!" he said, before literally bolting out the door, a 'Seeya in class' being the last thing Asuka heard.

Surprisingly, however, while the dust was still present...Asuka herself wasn't in it. I was floating in the same spot Shin as stood, having the exact same shape as Shin, before he bolted.

Looking back as the door, Asuka could only giggle at Shin and Judai's antics.

' _Fufu, interesting pair indeed… I wonder what's in store now, with you two around'_ Asuka thought with a smile, before leaving as well.

Outside…

In front of the Duel academy, stood a panting Shin. Since he had been running through the entire academy, having gone in circle once or twice, he was exhausted.

' _Damn...Curses! Those restless nights are taking their toll on me again...'_ thought Shin, trying to catch his breath.

However, it would seem that, either Shin has been running so fast, that he actually went back in time, or the headmaster of Slifer Red forgot about him.

' _I think it's actually the latter, since it's already night and all...'_

"Hey...Eatos...can you come out real quick?" Shin said, although muffled, since he collapsed face-first on the floor due to his knees giving out for a second.

The spirit, of course, wasted no second and immediately came to her masters side.

" **You called for me, Shin-sama..."** she started, before seeing Shin on the ground **"Shin-sama?! Are you OK? What happened?"** she slightly panicked.

"...running..." Shin said tiredly.

" **Oh, okay then. I thought it was something serious there for a second."** she breathed out, relieved.

' _And me pretty much dying over here, isn't serious…?'_ Shin thought with a sweatdrop. "Anyway...Eatos, can you fly in the sky and tell me where the Red Dorm is?" Shin asked.

" **Right away."** Eatos said, as she flew in the sky, searching for the Red Dorm. Once she found it, she came back down to Shin. **"It appears the Red dorm is at the cliff side, on the west side of the island. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to reach it."**

"Well then...I better get going." Shin said, as he stood back up.

" **Are you sure you should be up and running again so soon?"** the female Guardian asked.

"I've dealt with worse, remember?" Shin said, remembering some events of the past five years.

" **That is certainly true, however-!"** unfortunately, she didn't get to say anymore, due to the fact that Shin was already long gone, his signature cloud of dust remaining in his place. **"I hate it when he does that..."** Eatos thought with a sweatdrop. Her face however soon lifted up into a small smile. **"Oh well. It's that exact personality that makes him so approachable and easy to befriend. He's like a small child sometimes~"** and with that she disappeared again, returning to the Duel Monster Realm.

In the Slifer Red dining hall...the students were confused.

They had been expecting a party and a feast to go along with it. What they didn't expect however, was for the 'party' to be held in a small and dusty dining hall, the 'feast' to consist of a small tray of rice, sardines and some sauce and they certainly didn't expect the headmaster to be pudgy cat!

"This is the feast?" Sho asked, while staring disappointed at the food.

"Forget that! Our headmaster isn't even a human!" some random Slifer said.

And true to his word, on the headmaster's tablet, was a striped cat.

However, from behind the curtains to the kitchen, came a tall man with long black hair and an Asian looking face. His eyes were closed and he wore glasses. His outfit consisted of a white dress shirt and black slacks. This was professor Daitokuji, the REAL headmaster of Slifer Red.

"I'm your headmaster, Daitokuji-nya.I am teaching alchemy at the academy. Pleased to meet you all-nya." he introduced himself.

"Delicious!" came a voice from the back, making everybody turn towards it.

That voice, was Judai. And he was currently chowing down big time, completely disregarding the fact that no one was eating yet.

As Sho was reprimanding him for it, Daitokuji appeared in front of him.

"Such a small thing doesn't bother me-nya." he said with a smile. "Well then everyone, please enjoy the meal."

It was as everyone started eating, that something unexpected happened. A blur of gold, red and black, suddenly burst in the dining hall and slid on the floor, scaring everyone present, besides Judai, who was still eating and Daitokuji, who sort of had an idea as to who the blur was.

Of course, due to built up momentum and the fact that it was sliding on the floor...the blur meet the teacher's solid wood desk, head first, causing everyone present to cringe at the impact. A loud cracking sound was heard as well…which fortunately came from the desk, which now had a large crack going through it.

"Ah, Shin-kun there you are." Daitokuji said pleasantly, guessing who the blur was.

The figure, now identified as Shin, only raised a shaky thumbs up, while muttering a weak '...reporting for duty...'

"I apologize for not picking you up earlier, but I had to make this wonderful meal for everyone. I hope you didn't have too much trouble, finding the dorm." apologized Daitokuji.

"Oh it's no problem...this is only an island, after all..." mumbled Shin.

"But! The good part is-"Daitokuji said, as he went into the kitchen, only to return with an extra tray of food. "-I made some food for you too!" he said happily.

"What food…?" was Shin's response.

"Huh? Well this food right…" Daitokuji started, only to notice the food was gone. "Huh?! But I could swear that I made an extra serving...Pharaoh? Did you eat Shin's food?" Daitokuji asked his cat, who only meowed a 'no'. "Then who..." he said, only to look down at Shin, hearing a small burp.

"...that was some good grub..." Shin mumbled, with another thumbs up, before his hand fell limp on the ground.

"Well, you certainly are a fast eater, Shin-kun nya." Daitokuji said with a smile. However, he got no response.

"S-Shin-kun?" Daitkuji asked.

Nothing.

"Shin-kun." Daitokuji called again.

Still, no response.

"Umm, sensei? I think he may have passed out." said a student, who noticed Shin was still breathing, but didn't move a muscle.

"Well, that's certainly a bummer-nya. Judai-kun." Daitokuji called.

The boy, who had finished his food, perked up. Daitokuji gestured toward the unconscious Shin.

"Could you please bring Shin-kun to his room? It's the last one on the upper floor." the teacher said, taking out a pair of keys from his back pocket.

"No problem teach! But first...could I get a second serving? Shin's right, this food is really good." Judai said with a smile.

"Of course" Daitokuji smiled, returning to the kitchen to bring Judai his second serving.

All the while Shin was still passed out of the floor.

After the meal…

"Man how does this guy feel so light?" asked Judai, as he was giving Shin a piggy back ride.

"I have no idea Aniki. Maybe he's been light since birth?" Sho guessed, as the two arrived in front of Shin's dorm room.

Sho took the key and opened the door. Entering, Judai left Shin of the bed and looked around the room.

"Wow. No roommates, huh? He get's the room all to himself then."

' _First the holding hands with Asuka-san and now this? How lucky can this guy get?'_ thought Sho.

"Well I'm pretty spent. Let's go and chill out in our room Sho. Let Shin sleep the exhaustion off" Judai said with a laugh.

"OK Aniki" Sho said, as they both exited the room, leaving Shin all alone in the darkness, the moonlight currently being the only light in the room.

A while later, two icy blue orbs opened in the dimly lit room.

Standing up on the bed, Shin stretched his arms and legs, before glancing around the room.

' _Man, that was a good nap. But where am I?'_ Shin thought.

" **This is you room, Shin-sama."** said a familiar spirit.

"And who brought me here, Eatos?" he asked, as he stood up from the bed and glanced at his Duel Spirit.

" **Judai and Sho, I think their names were."** the spirit responded, making Shin bob his head.

"They carried me here from the dining hall?"

" **Well it was only Judai that carried you."** Eatos said.

"Then I'd better make sure I thank him later."Shin said, while going towards the door.

" **Where are you going, Master?"** Eatos asked

"Outside." Shin answered simply. "I need some fresh air. Not to mention… I sense trouble brewing again." and with that, he was out the door.

Outside, Shin was leaning on the railing, watching the stars and breathing in the fresh air. That was, until he heard another door open. Looking to his right, he saw Judai and Sho exiting their dorm room.

"What are you guys doing?" Shin asked, surprising the two.

"Shin-kun? You're awake already?" Sho asked surprised. Shin grinned, pointing at himself with his thumb.

"I may not look like it, but I recover super fast. You're not keeping me down for long~"

"All the better then!" Judai said excited. "You see, we got this message from that Manjoume guy, challenging us to a duel."

"'Us'?" Shin asked. "As in, you and I or you and Sho? Though I don't know what Sho could've done to earn to the guy" he continued, scratching his head in confusion.

"He meant you, Shin-kun!" Sho exclaimed, clearing up Shin's confusion.

"Yeah. Apparently, he has a bone to pick with you" Judai said, somewhat uninterested. "I just want to see how strong that guy is. So, you wanna come with us? Maybe you'll get to duel him too!" Judai said happily.

' _Hmm...Maybe I can see just how much_ _ **bite**_ _he can pack. Because so far, I only heard him_ _bark_ _.'_ Shin thought with a grin. "Sure. Where's he at?" Shin asked with an excited grin.

"He told us to meet him at the Duel Arena from before" Sho answered.

"Heh. Then let's go!" Shin exclaimed, going on ahead with the two Slifers following right behind him.

A few minutes later…

"Aniki, I don't think you should do this. Asuka-san told us not to mess with these guys..." Sho said a little worriedly, as the trio were making their way through the academy.

"Don't be such a bore Sho." Shin said plainly "This is Duel Academia. **Duel** Academia. Things like these were meant to happen at some point. Besides, as duelists, we can't turn down such an offer."

"Shin's right, Sho. True men don't run from a challenge." said Judai, as the three saw the lights of the Duel Arena.

Upon entering, they noticed Manjoume and his two goon friends standing on the Field.

"How good of you to come, Number 110!" Manjoume said with his arms folded and a smirk. However, that soon turned into a scowl, when he saw Shin. "And I see you decided to show your face too, huh..." he said through gritted teeth.

"Of course. You challenged me to a duel as well apparently." Shin stated "But from what I was told, you challenged Judai and I to a one-on-one." seeing Manjoume nod, he continued "So then why are your goons here as well? Are you perhaps afraid of facing us alone?" he teased with a challenging grin.

This made the three Obelisk students scowl.

"You've got some nerve! First you pull those moves on Tenjoin-kun and now you call me a coward?!" shouted the seething Manjoume.

"Maybe~" Shin sang, before adopting a, slightly, serious expression. "I just find it funny how you get so jealous, when you and Asuka-chan aren't even in a relationship~ Do you really think she'll fall for someone like you?"

"Damn right!" Manjoume stated confidently.

"Pfft~!- Hahahaha!" Shin began laughing, eventually falling on the floor because of it.

"Did I say something funny, punk?!" raged Manjoume, seeing Shin roll on the floor with laughter, as if he's just heard the best joke of his life.

"Ahaha~.." Shin finally calmed down "No,nonononono~... Pfft, yeah! Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you want any chance at getting together with Asuka-chan, then you'd better work on that bratty attitude of yours. Not that Asuka-chan would fall for you regardless, since I don't think she's that type of girl" Shin stated, before beginning to giggle again. "Then again, everyone is free to dream, right~? Ahaha!"

Manjoume started turning red from anger again.

"Hey! Just who do you think you're laughing at?!" Torimaki shouted angrily, glaring at Shin.

"That's the next King of Games, you Slifer scum and don't you forget it!" continued Mototani.

This, of course, sent Shin into another fit of laughter, further enraging the Obelisk Blue students.

"Ahahaha! Man! You guys just crack me up!" Shin said, trying to contain his laughter.

Gritting his teeth, Manjoume managed to suppress his rage and addressed Judai.

"I'll take care of your friend over there after I've finished beating you. Are you ready to lose your best card, due to the Ante Rule?" asked Manjoume smugly.

"I'm always up for a duel!" Judai exclaimed confidently

Hearing this, Shin suddenly stopped laughing and perked right up

"WAIT! That means I have to wait for **my** duel..." Shin pouted. Then he turned to the other two Obelisk students. "Oi you two! Get your Duel Disks ready! You'll be my warm up for that Manjoume guy!"

Hearing this, the two laughed.

"You?! Taking on the two of us?! Ahahaha...Don't get full of yourself, Slifer scum!" Torimaki snarled.

"Yeah! We'd crush you in an instant!" continued Mototani, his Obelisk pride making him think he was leagues above Shin. That however, is a big mistake...

"Oh, is that right? Well, if you're so confident you can win, why don't you prove it to me?" Shin said slowly, grinning all the while. "Or perhaps...You're afraid of facing me?" he glanced back up at the two Obelisk students, his icy blue eyes gaining a short red glint.

His icy stare slightly unsettled the two Obelisk boys. Their instincts were screaming at the to back down and stay as far away from Shin as possible. The more they looked into his eyes, the more they felt as if they were staring into the face of a vicious predator.

At this moment, they wanted to turn back and run away from the challenge.

However, their Obelisk pride wouldn't allow it. It wouldn't allow them to feel scared, of a lowly Slifer scum. So, sucking their fears up, they resolved to teach Shin a lesson.

"Fine! We'll show what happens when lowly scum like you, messes with us Elites! We'll pound you into the ground!" shouted Torimaki, readying his Duel disk.

"And we'll make you pay for what you said to Manjoume-san as well!" said Mototani, as he readied his duel disk as well.

Shin grinned, feeling a certain excitement well up inside him. _'So they took the challenge huh? Fufufu...I'll enjoy stomping on your egos, and put **you** back in your place'_ he smirked, as his hair began casting a shadow over his eyes, which once again turned red for a second. _'I'll show you who's strongest around here...'_

Shin, then glanced at Manjoume, his smirk still slightly visible.

"You and Judai can take one side of the Duel arena. Your goons and I will take the other. Sound fair?" Shin asked Manjoume, who simply scoffed.

"Fine by me. But don't come crying to me, after these two give you a thorough stomping on. Just like how **I'll** give your friend over there." he said, whilst pointing at Judai. After which it landed on Shin. "And then I'll deal with **you**."

"Heheheh..." Shin laughed. "We'll see about that."

After setting up…

On the right side of the field, stood Shin, while on the left was Judai. Standing opposite to them, were Torimaki, Mototani and Manjoume, respectively.

Focusing on Shin's Duel for the moment…

"Whenever you two are ready. You can have the first move." said Shin, as they all drew their cards.

"Then I'll go first!" said Torimaki, as he drew his card. Shin then raised his hand, placing the attention on him.

"Alright! Then, let me lay out the rules of this three way duel." Shin stated as raised a finger. "First: LP. Since it's the two of you versus me, you have a combined 8000 LP. Same as me." seeing the two didn't protest, he raised a second finger. "Two: Attack. Since Torimaki is first, he can't attack. The ones going after him, however, can." he then raised a third finger "and lastly...Third: Turns. It's going like this

1st. Torimaki

2nd. Mototani

3rd. Shin

You two fine with this?" He asked the two Obelisk students.

'Judai and Manjoume's duel having also started in the background'

Torimaki and Mototani grinned. _'These rules still favor us.'_ they thought.

"Alright then!" Torimaki stated. "My turn!"

 **Torimaki & Mototani:** 8000 LP x6/x5

 **Shin:** 8000 LP

"First, I'll activate the Spell card, Cost Down!" Torimaki stated, as the card flipped up. "I discard one card from my hand, and all monster's level in my hand decrease by two. And because of it, I can normal summon, Judge Man in ATK mode!" he shouted, as the orc looking Judge materialized, wielding his two maces.

Judge Man -LV4- (2200/1500)

"I place one card face down and end my turn" declared Torimaki.

 **Torimaki & Mototani:** 8000 LP x4/x5

"Then it's my turn! I draw!" Mototani stated, while drawing his card. "Heh. Looks like your out of luck, Slifer scum! And in for a lesson of pain!" Mototani stated with a grin, while taking three of his cards. "I send Alpha, Beta and Gamma from my hand to the Graveyard and summon, Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!" he stated, as the three Magnet Warriors disassembled and formed into Valkyrion.

Valkyrion the Magna Warrior -LV8- (3500/3850)

"Now! It's time for battle!" Mototani shouted excited. "Valkyrion! Attack that Slifer directly!" he shouted, as the warrior lunged at him and slashed him with his sword, sending Shin skidding back.

 **Shin:** 4500 LP

"And now, Judge Man attacks as well!"

Said monster, raising his mace and hitting Shin across the field.

 **Shin:** 2300LP

As Shin began rising back to his feet, Mototani chuckled.

"Oh yeah, so I don't forget. Know that we're also dueling with the Ante Rule!" stated Mototani with a grin, surprising Shin.

"The Ante Rule? So, we're betting our rarest cards eh? I didn't expect to see this Rule here of all places" Shin mumbled, dusting himself off.

"That's because it's not legal" said a new voice, attracting everyone's attention.

Turning toward the entrance to the Arena, Shin was the first to speak.

"Asuka-chan?" he mumbled surprised.

True to his word, the Queen of Obelisk herself was approaching the Duel Arena. And she didn't look pleased.

"The Ante Rule is forbidden here at the academy. As well as dueling after hours. You all can get into serious trouble for this." she stated.

"Heh. The only one who are about to get in trouble are those two, once I start my turn" Shin stated, his smirk becoming evident once more and his eyes sharpening. And whilst his hair still shadowed his eyes, the icy blue slowly faded into gleaming red.

Before he started his turn however, Shin glanced to his side, curious as to how Judai's duel was panning out.

Looking to his left, he saw Judai's Flame Wingman destroy Manjoume's monster, which was Elemental Hero Sparkman. However, Judai's Flame Wingman was soon destroyed, due to Manjoume's Spell Card, dealing half of Wingman's ATK as Damage to Judai, leaving him with 550 LP.

' _You better make sure you win this. Otherwise, you can say goodbye to Flame Wingman...'_ Shin thought, whilst turning back to his own Duel.

"How could you possibly win this, slacker?" Mototani asked amused. "You've got two super strong monsters staring you down and only 2300 LP left. One more attack from Valkyrion and you're through. Then you'll have to hand over your rarest card."

Seeing Shin was taking on not one, but **two** Obelisk students at the same time, Asuka was left shocked. Shin had indeed just completely disregarded the warning she gave him not that long ago.

"You really took on two opponents in a duel with the Ante Rule?!" she asked dumbfounded. Shin simply chuckled.

"A duel?" Shin asked amused "A duel would mean these two actually stand a chance" he said, cracking his neck. "This is simply a lesson I need to teach these two."

Shin placed his fingers on his deck, and started his turn.

"It's my turn! I draw!" Shin stated, as he drew his card. Strangely enough, a small gust of wind seemed to follow.

 **Shin:** 2300 LP x6

"First, I''l activate the card I drew! Pot of Greed" Shin shouted, as he drew his 2 extra cards. Red Eyes Darkness Dragon and Dragon's Mirror.

"Next, I activate, Future Fusion!" he said, as the card flipped up on the field. "With it, I send my Red Eyes Black Dragon and Meteor Dragon to the Graveyard!" he stated, as he inserted the card in the Graveyard slot on his Duel Disk.

' _Red Eyes…!'_ thought Asuka surprised. _'Along with Meteor Dragon? Is he trying to summon **that**?'_

"But that's not all. Because now I activate, Dragon's Mirror!" he said, this time surprising Torimaki and Mototani. "when I activate this card, I can banish monsters from my Graveyard, that are listed as fusion Material and Fusion Summon the corresponding monster. I banish Red Eyes and Meteor Dragon!" he started, as the world briefly turned red.

" **Black Dragon, whose power compares only to that of meteorites, come forth and obliterate everything that stands in your way! Fusion Summon! Cover the world in black ashes! Level 8! Meteor Black Dragon!"** Shin shouted, as a giant meteor-like object appeared before Shin.

Said object, began crumbling apart, revealing the monster that slept inside. Soon, an enormous Dragon with purple, rock-like scales appeared. Red markings lighting up on it's body, as it roared, blowing gust of wind around the field.

Meteor Black Dragon -LV8- (3500/2000)

The dragon soon landed behind it's master, steam coming out of the corners of its mouth, ready to blast Shin's opponents into a new age. Sho and Judai, who wanted to see how Shin was doing, were left mouth agape at the dragon. As for Asuka and the rest of the Obelisk students present, could only stare wide eyed at it.

"S-So what!? It and Valkyrion have equal ATK. And even if you destroy Judge Man, we'll still be left with more than enough LP" shouted Torimaki.

"Not after I activate this." Shin said calmly, as he inserted the Magic card in his duel disk. "I activate, Lightning Vortex!"

''Crap!'' the Obelisk Boys

"I discard, Red Eyes Black Chic and with it, all your monster follow."

"Not so fast!" shouted Torimaki "I activate my Trap, Dust Tornado. With it, I can destroy one of my opponents Spell/Trap card and set one of my own."

"Amateur..." Shin sighed.

A small tornado formed on the field, picking up Shin's Lightning Vortex and destroying it. Torimaki grinned, as he set a card. However, that grin soon disappeared, when multiple lightning bolts began raining down on Valkyrion and Judge Man, ultimately destroying them.

"What?!" Torimaki exclaimed, shocked.

"Dust Tornado only destroys a Magic Card. It doesn't actually negate it's effect" Shin sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "I was right after all. You two are nothing but bark and no bite. You go around, using your title as Obelisks to intimidate people and make yourselves seem superior, when you don't even have a complete grasp on the basics of Magic Cards. Pathetic..." he mumbled, greatly infuriating Torimaki and Mototani.

"Grr..Don't you look down on us you lowly Slifer! The Duel isn't over just yet! You still only have one monster and it's not strong enough to wipe out all of our life points!" exclaimed Mototani.

"Yet." finished Shin. "I activate, Dimension Fusion!" Shin declared "By paying 2000 LP, I can bring back as many of my removed-from-play monsters as possible!" he finished, making his opponents turn pale.

Shin wasn't even fazed, as an electrical current struck him, depleting his LP.

Shin: 300 LP

"Now, come back! Red Eyes-Black Dragon and Meteor Dragon!" he shouted, as the two monster materialized, with Red Eyes releasing a mighty roar.

"And now, the final card of this duel. I activate..." Shin started, as he raised the card to his face, revealing it to be "...Megamorph! And I equip it to Meteor Black Dragon!" Shin shouted, as the dragon grew twice in size, releasing an ear deafening roar that shook the ground.

Meteor Black Dragon (7000/2000)

And with it, the color from Torimaki and Mototani's faces, had drained completely.

"Time for you two to taste bitter defeat and learn a lesson about respecting your opponent, no matter who they are! Meteor Dragon! Attack them directly! **Meteor Blast!** "

Shin shouted, as the dragon turned in a flaming meteorite and struck the two, causing a small explosion.

Torimaki & Mototani: 6200 LP

"Red Eyes Black Dragon! Let them feel the heat with **Inferno Blast!** " Shin commanded strongly, as the monster obeyed without question and charged up a fireball in it's mouth which it launched at the already downed opponents.

Torimaki & Mototani: 3800 LP

"This is the end! Meteor Black Dragon! Show them why you don't mess with a dragon! **Infernal Meteor Blast!** " Shin roared, the dragon roaring right after, while charging and enormous blazing meteorite, launching it directly at Torimaki and Mototani. The impact, caused a giant explosion, sending Torimaki and Mototani flying off of the Duel Arena and impacting hard against the stands, leaving them sprawled across the floor and groaning in pain.

"Torimaki! Mototani!" Manjoume exclaimed, shocked that his friends, **both** of his friends, just got OTK'd by a newcomer.

His ruthless win, even left his friends shocked. While they didn't know Shin all that long, they expected his Dueling style to reflect his usual demeanor, which seemed to be quite childish. But this came out of the left field and left them silent for a few moments.

"Humph! That'll teach you" Shin stated, deactivating his Duel Disk. "Don't think that your little tailor suit blue jacket means you're stronger than me. I'll crush anyone that stands in my way of becoming the best" he stated, a cold edge to his tone being evident.

At this point, simply being in Shin's presence made the people in the room feel on edge.

' _H-He's suddenly scary…!'_ Sho thought, scared of the current Shin.

' _What in the world…?'_ Judai thought, surprise clear on his face. _'This is the same Shin that passed out in the cafeteria because he ran a bit? It's like a completely different personality! Heh, if this is how intense Shin get's when he duels, then I can't wait to have a crack at him!'_ he grinned excitedly, feeling himself getting fired up.

' _This is the same Shin I met in the hallway? It feels so...different'_ Asuka thought with a slight shiver. _'Those two must've really gotten to him...'_

' _I...may have gotten in over my head with him. I can take care of Number 110 without much trouble...but he managed to beat two Obelisk students in one turn. I hate saying this...but he may actually be stronger than the current me.'_ Manjoume thought, sweating a bit at the sheer pressure the current Shin was releasing.

But as soon as it came, Shin's 'Duel Persona' disappeared and back was the bubbly Shin everyone got to know today.

"Okey~" He sang happily. "The Duel field is all yours now guys! Go wild~" and with that, he skipped off of the Duel Arena, past Sho an in front of Asuka. Very close to Asuka, in fact. Specifically, her face.

Due to the close proximity, Asuka promptly blushed. In turn, making Sho and Manjoume jealous.

"I-Is something wrong, Shin-kun?" she slightly stuttered in surprise.

"Say, Asuka-chan. What were to happen if we got caught~?" Shin asked with an innocent smile.

"W-Well, we could face expulsion…" she started, before Shin surprised her, by taking her hand again. "S-Shin-kun?!"

"Then we'd better hightail outta here! Guards are coming." Shin stated, to everyone's surprise.

"Huh? What do you mean Shin-kun…" Sho said, before he too, heard the approaching footsteps.

"See?" Shin asked with a toothy grin.

"We need to get out of here, you guys! As I said, with the Ante Rule being forbidden and since we're using the field after school hours, we could be expelled!" Asuka exclaimed, directing it toward the dueling boys.

"Eh? There are school regulations like that?!" Judai said surprised.

"Did you not read your PDA Judai?" asked Shin with a, 'are you kidding me' expression.

"Manjoume-san, this is bad! We need to get out of here!" shouted Torimaki, who had apparently came to at the best time. Though him and Mototani still looked like they would be limping a bit for the next 2 or so days.

"Tch...I've seen enough for tonight anyways." Manjoume stated, while turning to leave. "Obviously, your win against Chronos was pure luck." he said while leaving the Field. "For now I'll take care of _my_ win."

"Oi! The duel isn't over yet!" shouted Judai.

"As I said, I've seen enough. I know just how capable you are." Manjoume stated, before looking and grimacing at Shin. "...you **and** your friend..." he said as he left.

"Quit screwin' around!" Judai attempted to stop, in vain.

"Aniki, they're gonna find us at this rate!" Sho shouted scared.

"Come on! I'll show where we can escape through!" Asuka said, preparing to leave. At this point, she didn't even care that Shin was holding her hand. She just wanted them to get away from the guards as fast as possible.

"Let's hurry! They're getting closer!" Shin urged Judai.

However, like a child throwing a temper tantrum, Judai decided to just stay in place. Fed up with his antics, Shin pulled out what seemed to be a rope out of nowhere and threw it around Judai's head and onto his body. Like a cowboy.

"O-Oi! What are you- guh..!" Judai tried protesting, however with a strong yank, he was swiftly pulled down, falling face first on the floor, effectively silencing his protests.

"Alright! While he's cooperating, Asuka-chan! Lead the way, quickly!" Shin said, as they all hurried out of the room. Judai, of course, being dragged all the way.

Just in time, as the guards appeared a mere minute later.

Outside of the academy…

Shin, Asuka, Sho and Judai had safely made it outside the academy. Granted, Shin had to drag Judai the entire way, as he wouldn't willingly walk, but at least they wouldn't face expulsion.

"Phew~" Shin breathed out in relief "Thanks a bunch Asuka-chan. You really helped us out!" Shin said happily.

"No problem. I'm always glad to help." She said with a small smile "Also..." she started while looking down "..why do you always grab my hand, exactly?" she finished a little awkwardly.

"I told you! It's cuz they're so very soft!" he answered childishly, grinning brightly.

' _He's back alright...'_ Asuka thought with a sweat drop, before turning to Judai "You're quite the hassle, aren't you?"

"Tch, I don't need your opinion..." Judai pouted, before being smacked upside the head, courtesy of Shin.

"I suggest you shut up and thank her, considering she just saved you from getting expelled on your **first** day at the academy" Shin chastised, making Judai sweatdrop while Sho and Asuka giggled lightly.

"So how was the harsh ordeal from an Obelisk, huh?" she asked Judai, who just raised his nose high.

"Heh! I had that duel in the bag." he stated proudly, to which Shin raised an eyebrow.

"Not from where I was standing." Replied Shin. "From what I saw, you were about to get regally whooped."

"Yeah, from where **you** stood. However, things looked different from my point of view~." Judai said, as he showed everyone the last card he drew before the abrupt end of the duel.

Monster Reborn.

"Well, I'll be damned..." marveled Shin, before laughing "Hahaha~ You truly are something else, you know that?" he said, before gaining a challenging grin "That's fine. I've been waiting for someone like you. Now we just have to see how we can get that three-way duel set up, and we can all duke it out" he challenged.

"Fine by me. I'm ready when you two are" Judai replied, reciprocating the grin. He then extended his hand, which Shin shook, a silent agreement being formed between the two.

Judai then turned on his heels and began walking back toward the Red Dorm.

"Thanks for the help Asuka! Seeya tomorrow!" he called, waving his hand.

"Aniki! Wait for me!" Sho shouted, as he ran after his 'big brother'.

Leaving Shin and Asuka all alone again.

"Well, that was a thing." said Shin. Asuka only nodding in return.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow Asuka-chan~" he said with a grin, before turning to leave.

"Hold on!" Asuka suddenly said, making Shin stop and turn towards her. "Give me your PDA real quick"

"Uhh...okay…?" he did as she asked.

Asuka took the PDA and began typing something in it, soon after giving it back. Shin took it, with a confused face. Seeing it, Asuka decided to enlighten him.

"I registered my number in there. That way, you can contact me whenever, if you want to know something. Or even if you get lost." Asuka said.

"Ohhh...okay, then! Very handy~"

"It's getting late, Shin-kun. Remember we have class in the morning. And Chronos doesn't like it when people arrive late. So unless you want detention, then I suggest you go to bed as soon as possible."

"Hehe~ you're right there. I'm pooped anyway." He said while yawning. "See you tomorrow, Asuka-chan~" he said, as he left the girl alone.

Said girl gaining a soft smile.

' _Rough around the edges, and definitely both with you their own kinks…but still interesting_ _'_ she thought, before leaving as well.

Back with Shin…

" **Don't you think you overdid it?"** asked a female voice, gaining Shin's attention.

"Overdid it? What do you mean" Shin asked the voice, which resounded from his main deck.

" **That finish wasn't necessary you know? You could've went a little easier on them"** the voice said, sounding a little disappointed.

Shin didn't say anything for a moment, instead just looking at the ground. "I dunno...Their arrogance just made something inside me snap, I guess. I hate seeing people judge others like that..!" he said, gritting his teeth slightly, his eyes flaring red again.

" **I know you do. We _all_ know that. And it's fine to get a little angry from time to time. Just...don't let it end like before."**the voice said sympathetically.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt any of my friends like that again" he said determined.

" **That's the way, Shi-chan~ Bounce right back to you usual self, like you always do~"**

"Heh~" Shin chuckled softly, looking up at the stars.

" **So, do you need any company tonight~?"** the voice asked in a teasing voice, making Shin grin slightly.

"I can sleep without my bed light, mom~" Shin said, returning the tease.

" **But you used to ask me 'Onee-chan, can you sleep with me tonight?' and would hold onto me so tightly when you were little..."** the voice said with fake hurt.

"D-Don't bring up ancient history!" Shin said flustered.

" **It was last year~"** the voice giggled

Sighing, Shin decided to let her win this round. Just like every other.

Looking up into the starry sky, he thought.

' _I helped me get the cards I wanted, but at the cost of me becoming ruthless...I have to keep it at bay from now on. If not...I may end up hurting my friends...'_

 **And that's a wrap!**

 **Whew~ another chapter! This is actually pretty fun~**

 **So yeah, I tried making this chapter, while taking your reviews in consideration and this is what came out.**

 **So yeah. That is about everything I have to say.**

 **So please review and tell me what you thought of the chapter!**

 **It always brings a smile to my face, when I read supportive reviews.**

 **Edit 16.05.18:**

 **-As you can see, I've reworked some dialogue and interactions in this chapters, as well as improving some grammar mistakes that I found~ I've also reworked Shin's character some, to match him up with later chapters~**

 **This is it for this edit, unto the next chapter~**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A day in the life of Shin Part 1

Another day on Duel Academia began. The sun was rising up in the sky, forming a beautiful sunrise. The birds were flying high into the sky, signaling a nice, sunny day. The sound of waves, crashing against the rocks resounding throughout the island. Those were the only sounds on the island, at the moment. And the reason for that…

...was because everyone on the island, was still asleep. It was barely 3:30 AM, after all.

That was the reason no one was up and about right now. Well…

Everyone, bar one poor chap.

We focus our sights on the dorm located on the cliff side. The Slifer Red dorm. If one looked in the dorm rooms, they would see every student, fast asleep. However…on the second floor, behind the last door, was a rather interesting sight.

On the floor, lied a body. That body, belonged to Shin. And Shin was currently sprawled on the floor, in the middle of his room. Why, you may ask. Well, it looks like Shin is currently asking the same question.

"Why?" was everything Shin asked.

"Why, did I have to be plagued with insomnia on the very first day…?!" he said with an exasperated voice.

 _Flashback~_

 _As soon as Shin came back to the dorm, he decide to listen to Asuka's advice and go to bed. Easier said than done, it seems. His head hit the pillow, Shin closed his eyes and waited. And waited some more. And continued to wait, until he didn't want to wait anymore. So opening his eyes, he looked at the clock. It read, 00:50._

' _It's been just 20 minutes?' Shin thought, before planting his face, back into the pillow._

 _30 minutes passed...and still nothing._

' _This is getting ridiculous...' thought Shin, tired, but still not asleep._

" _ ***yawn* What's wrong Shi-chan? Why aren't you sleeping?"** asked the tired voice, of the Duel Spirit Shin called 'Partner'. _

" _Can't sleep for shit." was Shin's tired answer. He didn't even bother to watch his language. That's how tired he became._

" _ **Insomnia again?"** asked Shin's Partner._

" _Uh-huh..." came Shin's muffled reply, from his pillow._

 _Sighing, Shin's Partner came out of his deck as a light. Said light, flew over to Shin's bed and, growing in size, materialized..._

 _ *** plop ***_

 _Plopping in Shin's bed, right behind him. Before Shin could question it, two slender arms wrapped around his neck and, turning Shin around, pulled his head between two very soft objects._

' _W-What the-?!'_

" _ **Hmm~ There you go Shi-chan. Now you have something 'much' more comfortable to sleep on...just like when you were little. Try sleeping now."** Shin heard, before feeling something soft on the top of his head._

" _Must you always kiss the top of my head?" Shin asked tiredly._

" _ **Stop questioning it Shi-chan...Just enjoy it and go to sleep already..."** was his answer._

 _Shin wanted to retort, but stopped as he heard his Partner sound asleep._

' _How does she manage to fall asleep instantly like that...' thought Shin, before trying to go to sleep._

 _Flashback end~_

"So much for that..." Shin said quietly.

Yeah, even the new 'pillows' didn't help. Shin just couldn't fall asleep.

 _But Author-tan, how did he end upon the floor?_ You are most likely asking yourselves.

Well, to answer your question, after an entire hour of not sleeping, Shin slipped from his Partner's grasp…

...Also slipping out of the bed. Literally.

Shin fell on his face, hoping he would be able to catch some shut eye, by knocking himself out. That didn't work. So, crawling in the middle of the room, Shin decided to just keep his eyes open, until they closed on their own.

And here we are now…

" **Hmm~ Shin-sama? Why aren't you sleeping…?"** asked Eatos, who came out of the deck, while rubbing her eyes. However, when she looked on the bed, where she presumed Shin was, she only saw Shin's partner, sound asleep.

"...down here, Eatos..."

Looking down, Eatos saw Shin's sprawled out form.

" **Huh? What are you doing on the ground, Master? Are you al- OH MY GOD, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR EYES?!"** panicked Eatos, stirring Shin's Partner awake.

At first, she didn't know why Shin was on the floor, but that thought changed upon seeing Shin's eyes.

His eyes, wide open and bloodshot red. In it's truest form. Shin's sclera had mostly turned red, from being open for too long. In short, Shin stayed true to his word and kept his eyes open, until they closed on their own. Thus, his eyes were starting to get pretty dry and hurt like crazy. And he still couldn't fall asleep.

"...insomnia….that's what happened." was Shin's blank answer.

Eatos, was getting worried for her master. He didn't move, he barely spoke and he only looked forward, namely on the ceiling. Truthfully, his body didn't have the energy to move and his eyes, due to being dry, also couldn't move.

...Or that's what Eatos would've liked to think.

" **M-Master, do you need some help- EEK!?"** Eatos wanted to help her master, but got frightened when Shin turned his head like it was a rag doll, a distinct cracking being heard as well, and stared Eatos dead in the eyes.

It didn't help that Shin's own eyes, looked as if he was something straight out of a horror movie. If she didn't know any better, Eatos was half expecting Shin to stand up on all fours, backwards, and crawl like some sort of possessed human-spider towards her. As strong and fearless as she was, she was still just a mere soul, that was understandably affected by horror movies.

Thankfully, Shin just asked her a simple question.

"What time is it, Eatos?" he asked.

" **I-It's 3:30 AM… Shin-sama are you alright…?"** Eatos asked scared.

Shin's face, got even creepier. Up until now, it was mainly a blank face. However, as soon as he heard what time it was, Shin face became truly terrifying. On his face, a grin appeared. Not your usual grin. This grin, was accompanied by his left eye, beginning to twitch. And his eyes, grew wider. He looked nothing short of a madman.

It was at this time, that Shin's Partner woke up.

" **Hmmm~ What's with the racket you two?"** she asked, tiredly and rubbing her eyes. **"Can't a spirit catch her beauty sleep...huh?"** she asked, as she opened her green eyes fully. Only to be met by the sight of a terrified Eatos and a rag dolled Shin, that was on the floor. **"Shi-chan? Why aren't you in the bed? And what are doing on the floor- EEK?!"** she started, only to be met with the same face he showed Eatos.

"Oh nothing...just contemplating the idea of bashing my skull in to get some sleep is all..." he said, his grin still on his face. "I'm fine, really… Nothing wrong at all..." he said, but with another, unpleasant, change on his features. While he was smiling, his left eye leaked tears. Unfortunately, not your average tears.

They were small tears of blood.

"" **OH MY GOD, SHI-CHAN/MASTER!""** shouted the two spirits in a panic, Shin's Partner immediately jumping out of the bed, and next to Shin, while Eatos only took a step forward and bent down.

Due to his eyes being open and not moving for about an hour, the new sudden movement, aka the twitching and looking at his Partner and Eatos, ruptured a vessel. Thus making Shin leak tears of blood.

" **Dammit, Shi-chan! I told you to stay in bed! Why did you have to be impatient? No, scratch that! Why did you think that trying this would help?!"** Shin's Partner shouted, while shaking poor Shin like a rag doll. She was at a loss for words. While Shin was unpredictable, one would think that she, who has been with him for at least 4 years now, would know pretty much everything that went through his head. But never, in 3 thousand years, did she expect someone, to pull off such a ridiculous stunt. Especially, her precious Shi-chan.

" **She's right Master! You should've just waited in the bed, until your body gradually shut off and fell asleep! Why did you have to do this?"** Eatos asked, whilst cleaning his eye and gently trying to peel his eyelids, off of his eyes.

"I thought my eyes...would just close...on their own." Shin said, tiredly. "I didn't think...I could lose consciousness...with my eyes open..."

" ***sigh* How you worry us Shi-chan..."** his partner said, whilst sighing deeply. **"Good thing this isn't the first time something like this happened..."** she continued, as she produced a bottle of eye drops from behind her. **"Eatos, can you please peel Shin's eyelids off of his eyes real quick?"** she asked Eatos, who nodded.

" **Of course."** she said, gently grabbing Shin's left eyelid and pulling it upwards, thus raising it off of his eye. His Partner, didn't waste any time and emptied around half of the bottle on his eye. Of course…

...The eye drops stung. A lot.

But, Shin bit his tongue and endured the pain, for two reasons. First, he didn't want to wake up his dorm mates. And second, he knew it was his own fault, that he was in this situation. So he just allowed his spirits to do their thing, as they knew what to do, in this situation.

After shutting his left eyelid, the two spirits did the same to his right, managing to barely save his eyes, from drying out and/ or possibly other lasting damage. Sighing, the two spirits finally relaxed.

" **Phew~ There, Shi-chan. Now you can finally keep your eyes closed and go to sleep."** Shin's partner said.

" **Indeed..."** Eatos agreed, with a content sigh.

"Thanks for the help girls." Shin said, actually beginning to revert back to his usual self. "Hehe...know what's funny…?" he asked, earning a curious 'Hmm?' from his two companions "I actually don't fell like sleeping anymore~" Shin said, with a grin.

That comment, made a vein appear on his two companions foreheads. And they didn't look so pleased either.

" **So..."** Shin's partner started darkly

" **You think you can just say that, after all the trouble we went through…?"** continued Eatos.

Hearing they're voices, Shin felt sort of scared. If anything could scare him, it was definitely his spirits, when they were mad. And they looked pretty mad right now.

" **You WILL get your butt back in that bed, dearest Shin"** his Partner said, while gently stroking his cheek. Something that, in this situation, made Shin feel a cold shiver going down his back **"And you WILL get some sleep in, am I understood?"** she said sweetly, further scaring poor Shin.

Speaking of, the boy could only wordlessly nod. Satisfied, Shin's partner smiled, stood up and dragged Shin back to the bed.

" **Eatos, you come and join us too."** she said, greatly surprising Eatos.

" **H-Huh? But why me?"**

" **Because that way, we can be sure Shi-chan over here doesn't run off and do something stupid again."**

" **Ooohhh~ That makes a lot of sense, actually."**

And with that, Shin found himself in his bed. This time however, he had an addition, in the form of Eatos. And Shin was currently being sandwiched, between two sets of 'pillows', effectively preventing him from leaving.

' _Why am I in this situation again…?'_ Shin asked himself.

Because the readers, myself included, live this story through you Shin. And if you don't enjoy it, then we certainly will. Now be a good protagonist and enjoy the situation most men would kill for.

' _What a way to break the forth wall...'_ Shin said, before ultimately deciding to do what he was told and get some shut eye.

...And it finally worked.

Now, after around 4 hours, Shin was stirred awake.

" **Poke, poke~"**

Shin heard his partner's voice and felt a slender finger, softly poking him in the cheek.

" **C'mon, sleepy head~ You need to wake up now~"** said Shin's Partner.

"Nooo~" he whined like a child. "...5 more minutes..." he said, while trying to bury his face deeper into the pillow. Unfortunately, it didn't work, for some reason. And he heard his Partner giggling.

It seems he forgot his current situation.

" **Fufufu~ That tickles Shi-chan~"** his Partner said, giggling. **"Also, I don't think you can bury your cute little face any further in those 'pillows'~"** she sang

' _Aww...Gingerbread men...'_ Shin deadpanned in his mind, finally realizing what 'pillows' he was sleeping on. Slowly opening his hurt eyes, that now looked like a Hero named Eraserhead, he looked at his current predicament. However, as soon as his vision cleared, he saw two bright green orbs looking back at him. Those eyes, were accompanied by his Partner making a cute kitty face.

" **I'd eat you if you were a gingerbread man~"** she said cutely.

"W-Why would you eat me, exactly…?" Shin asked, not keen on the answer.

" **Because that would be one way to get you in me~"** she whispered sweetly in his ear. Of course, Shin's nose began to drip blood, in turn making his Partner giggle.

"Okaaaayyy! That's Abridgment territory. We'll stay clear of it for now." said Shin after wiping his nosebleed away.

Getting out of his Partners grasp, making her pout in return, Shin made his way to his closet. After getting a spare change of clothes, he turned to the bed, where his Partner was still looking at him cutely and Eatos was fast asleep.

"Do you mind?" Shin asked his partner with raised eyebrow.

" **Oh I don't mind at all~ Go ahead and change, I'll just stay here on this comfy bed and keep Eatos company~"** she said, obviously trying to look at Shin when he's changing.

"Then you also don't mind putting your hands over your eyes so you can't see right~?" Shin asked sweetly, mimicking her.

" **Boo~ You're no fun today Shi-chan. Why are you even embarrassed? It's not like it's my first time seeing it. You're forgetting who always took baths with you."**

"Namely Anzu-nee, Mai-nee and Shizuka-nee~" he answered, without skipping a beat.

" **I meant, the baths with rubber duckies~"** she sang.

"...Okay you have a point there… But it's still common courtesy to not look at people when they're changing!"

" **Oh, fine. Here"** she said, as she covered her eyes with her hands. **"Can you change now?"** she asked rhetorically.

"Yes, thank you." was Shin's reply. And with that, Shin began changing.

Though only some shuffling of clothes could be heard, Shin's partner knew the pattern of how Shin would undress. And she will be darned, if she would miss such a golden opportunity. So, carefully listening to what Shin was doing, she started counting in her head.

' _ **Okay, first it's the shirt'**_ she thought, as she heard something light fall on the floor _**'then it's the socks, pants...and finally...'**_ she gingerly spread her fingers apart, giving her a pretty clear view of Shin.

" **Wait, huh?!"** she asked shocked, only to quickly cover her mouth and also waking Eatos up in the process.

Standing in front of the closet, was a fully dressed Shin. And this, is what surprised his Partner. _**'How did he change so quickly?! I thought I heard everything being removed...'**_ she thought dejectedly. She looked like a kicked puppy right now.

' _Oh come on...don't make such a face...'_ Shin thought, whilst looking at his Partner's dejected look.

Sighing, Shin decided that he cannot look at his Partners sad face, so he decided to strike a bargain.

"Alright, how about this?" he said, his Partner slightly perking up. "I've seen a bathhouse on this island. Depending on how today goes, you and I can go to the bathhouse tonight. That sound good- urgh!?" Shin said, before being tackled to the floor by his Partner, who began straddling him and rubbing her face against Shin's.

" **Oh yes! Yes, please! I want my bath cuddle times with Shi-chan~"** his Partner said excitedly.

' _Well she certainly cheered up quickly...'_ Shin thought with a sweatdrop. His eyes, however, opened wide upon noticing something on his nightstand

By now, Eatos, who had been peacefully sleeping on the bed, had fully woke up. Looking around, she noticed the strange sight.

" **Uh...What are you two doing, exactly?"** asked Eatos confused.

" **Oh, Eatos! You're finally awake~"** Shin's partner said with a smile. Before a light bulb went off above her head **"Hey wait a second! I have a great idea! Why don't we *all* go to the bathing house! A Duel Spirit/Master outing!"** she said excitedly. **"Don't you agree Shi-chan?"** she asked, whilst turning to Shin…

...Only to notice he isn't there.

" **Huh?! Where did he go?"** she stated while looking around.

" **He bolted out the door after looking at the clock. I'm pretty certain he's late."** Eatos explained calmly, while stretching her body.

Upon looking on the nightstand, where the clock was located, Shin's Partner noticed the clock. It read, 7:45 AM.

" **Crap, you're right..."** she said simply. **"Well, looks like we'll just have to wait now..."** she said, before remembering something **"Wait a second! What about his eyes?! He looks like a zombie!"** she started panicking, until Eatos calmed her down.

" **He put on sunglasses before he bolted out."** Eatos said, while placing a hand on her companions shoulder. **"Even if they see him, I'm certain they'll realize he had a rough night. So there is no need to worry."**

Hearing this, Shin's partner relaxed. Seeing her relieved state, Eatos asked a question.

" **You really care about Master don't you?"**

" **Of course I do."** Shin's Partner answered immediately. **"That boy has been through enough. No family, no friends, no past. If it wasn't for the people he met during the last five years, he would've remained a near emotionless husk..."** she said solemnly, surprising Eatos… **"Shi-chan is too cute to be an emotionless husk!"**...and there goes the surprise. **"In all honesty though. It was due to combined efforts of Yugi and everyone else, that Shin was able to become who he is now. He has this, ability, to attract people to him. Good AND bad..."** she said while looking down **"And if his initial state is anything to go by, then he unfortunately only met bad people, before meeting all of us. Because of that, I will make sure that boy can remain his current self. And if he can keep smiling, then I will be happy as well."** she finished with a smile.

This in turn made Eatos smile as well.

" **Well I can still go for some more sleep!"** Shin's partner said, while bouncing from her current position onto Shin's bed. Quickly burying her face in his pillows and hiding herself under the covers, she released a satisfied sigh.

" **Uhhh..."** Eatos didn't really know what to say **"Is it really alright to be sleeping in Masters bed, while he is away? What if someone comes in and sees us?"**

" **Oh don't worry Eatos. Only a handful of Duelists can see duel spirits. Besides~ Class should be in session right now. So we totally have the 'good to go'"** Shin's" partner responded with a thumbs up. However, something she said, confused Eatos.

" **Wait...'We'?"** she asked confused.

" **Yeah, you and I. After sleeping with Shi-chan in the same bed for so many years, I can't really sleep alone anymore~"** she said while scratching the back of her head sheepishly.

" **But, wouldn't you rather sleep with… a male?"** Eatos asked, slightly uncertain.

" **Why would I do that? Shi-chan is the only male, that's cute enough for me to even consider sharing a bed with."** Shin's partner answered dismissively. **"Are you, perhaps, against the idea of two girls sharing a bed~?"** she asked with a teasing smirk.

" **W-Well, I don't have anything against it, per say, but… W-What are you doing?"** asked Eatos, upon noticing Shin's Partner approaching her with an 'innocent' smile.

" **You need to lighten up a bit Eatos..."** she said, before getting a glint in her eyes **"...so let me help you with that, by getting those clothes off of you~"**

Eatos promptly blushed, and covered herself.

" **No! Stay away! You have a hungry look in your eyes and I'm scared!"** Eatos said, while backing up. Unfortunately, her back soon hit the wall.

" **Stop running away, Eatos. Embrace it~ Embrace the Yuri ways~"** Shin's partner said with a sinister giggle.

If anyone, who could hear Duel Spirits, was nearby, they would've heard a lot of running about and a scared voice calling for help.

Too bad no one could hear Eatos. And Shin's Partner, always got what she wanted.

8:00 AM

With Shin, 15 minutes prior…

Shin was currently running as fast as he could, in order to get to class on time.

' _Well, at least I got to sleep some. So I won't be completely useless today.'_ thought Shin.

As he was running, he passed by some students, who only got to see his dust trail.

Soon enough, he managed to reach the school. Picking up the pace, he became a blur, yet again. Quickly zooming through the hallways, he managed to reach the door he was searching for.

' _There! Good thing I have photographic memory and managed to remember where the classrooms are! Now I'm safe- huh? Wait, it's closing?! Crap!'_ Shin panicked, upon seeing the door begin to close. Becoming even more of a blur, he made a Leap of Faith towards the door.

And he managed to pass through, before the door closed.

' _Safe!'_ Shin thought happily, before realizing where he was.

Namely in the air, on a head first collision course for the big screen. Everyone who was in the classroom, noticed it too. And they could only brace themselves, for the horrible impact they were going to witness.

Shin, however, had other plans. Bending his light and flexible body, he managed to bring his feet forward, using them to absorb the impact on the wall, instead of his head. Crouching on the wall, Shin grinned.

' _Ha! That is how you manage to make a cool entrance!'_ he thought with pride. Before feeling something.

That something, being the invisible force, called gravity.

' _Crap...of course it would be the laws of physics that would do me in…!'_ thought Shin, as he fell off the wall and onto the floor down below.

Of course, since gravity pulls things down, he fell, not on his butt or back...but on his head. The distinct 'crack' following soon after.

Everyone present, could only cringe. Even Manjoume. It was at this moment, that Chronos entered the classroom. Walking towards his desk, he noticed Shin, laying face down on the floor. He cringed, upon seeing his Red Jacket, but instead decided to focus on the fact that Shin was looking pretty dead.

"Signore Shin, are you alright?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

To the surprise of the other students, Shin quickly raised a thumbs up, replying with a slightly muffled 'never better!'. Jumping back to his feet, Shin picked up his glasses and skipped back to his seat next to Judai and Sho. Or that was the plan.

"Actually, Signore Shin" Chronos started, stopping Shin in his track, the boy putting his sunglasses back on and turning to the professor. "Your seat will be up there, when in my class." he said with a smile, while pointing towards the 'Obelisk' part of the seats. Conveniently, next to Manjoume and his goons and also across from Asuka.

"What?!" a random Obelisk exclaimed "A Slifer Red has no place among Obelisks!"

A couple Obelisks, joined him soon after, making Shin's eyes darken, yet again. However, it wasn't noticed, as he was wearing sunglasses. Misawa, who had just noticed that Shin was wearing red, was surprised.

' _Why is he wearing red? I am certain that he qualifies as a Ra yellow student. He was just behind me at the entrance exams, after all. So, what gives? Did he request to be put in Slifer? Is that why he went in the academy at the welcoming speech? Well, I guess that explains why I haven't seen him last night...'_ thought Misawa, slightly disappointed that he and Shin won't be in the same dorm anymore.

"Silence!" Chronos exclaimed, effectively shutting his Obelisk students up. "Signore Shin is only in Slifer Red as per his own request. His grades, skills and background could have easily placed him in Obelisk Blue! So I won't be hearing anything else from you, understood? And if any of you still have a complaint, then we will have to settle it with a Duel after class, no ne?" he declared, while also putting his plan in motion. This enlightened Misawa, as to why Shin was now in Slifer Red.

Most Obelisks had the decency to shut up with their protesting, after hearing that Shin was also, technically, an Obelisk class student as well. Unfortunately, not all are white sheep.

"Fine then! I challenge that Slifer to a duel! And after I crush him, he'll have to go back to the other drop outs!" the first Obelisk exclaimed. Hearing this, Shin grinned. Seeing his grin, everyone who was present last night, got slightly worried for the Obelisk student. Especially Torimaki and Mototani, who slightly paled. However, before they could warn the student…

"Fine. I'll take you on." Shin declared, his grin still present. "It should be pretty...entertaining. Slifer vs Obelisk. The result should be interesting...right guys?"

Although his statement wasn't directed at anyone in particular, Torimaki and Mototani paled even more at the reminder of their defeat.

"Alright then." stated Chronos. "I will arrange for your Duel to be held after class. I will announce it with a message on everyone's PDA. Now…

WILL YOU SETTLE DOWN SO I CAN START THE LESSON ALREADY?!"

Shin, was gone in the next second. Where? Well, not even Chronos knew.

"Huh? Where'd Shin go?" asked Judai, while looking around for his newest friend.

"Asuka-chan, I'm scared!"

"Huh?" hearing Shin's voice, Asuka looked around, but couldn't find him. Until she felt something around her feet. Looking down under her chair, she found Shin curled up like a scared cat. Sighing she bent down tried to get him out, by petting his head. Why? She knew Shin could be childish, so she played along in hopes of getting him out from under her chair. "Come on, Shin-kun. There's no reason to be scared." she said calmly. "If you come out and play nice, I'll give you a cookie. That sound good?"

"Yes please!" came Shin's reply, but not from under Asuka's chair, instead from his designated seat.

"Argh-what the?!" also scaring the ever-living daylights out of Manjoume and his goons, causing them to fall out of their chairs. People would've laughed...had they not been just as scared of Shin's sudden appearance.

"Alright! Let's start the lesson before anything else happens, no ne?" said Chronos.

And thus, the lesson began…

Everything was going pretty smoothly. Today, Chronos was teaching the student about Spell cards. Of course, it wouldn't be teaching if the students weren't called to answer some of his questions.

His current question, was about what types of Spell card there are. And Asuka was the one answering it.Judai and Sho were pretty much falling asleep, as were some of the other Slifer students. Everyone else was paying attention, or at least pretending to…

...like Shin, for example.

He was currently sleeping some more, however one couldn't tell because of his sunglasses and with how his head was propped up on his hand. Not that he actually needed the sunglasses, as he could somehow sleep with his eyes open.

"...Ritual Spells and Field Spells." finished Asuka.

' _Gotta give the girl some props, for not falling asleep during that essay...'_ thought Shin half asleep.

"Bellissimo! A superb job! Then again, it is to be expected from Obelisks Signora Asuka!" exclaimed Chronos delighted.

"It's just the basics." said Asuka courteously.

"Now then..." Chronos started scanning the room for someone to answer the next question. His sights, landed on Sho. "Signore Marufuji!"

"Y-Yes?" said Sho nervously, after standing up.

"Care to tell us what a Field Spell does?" asked Chronos.

"Well...Uh… a F-Field Spell… what it does… it's..uh..." Unfortunately, Sho was too nervous to form a coherent sentence.

"Even Kindergartners know that much!" shouted a random Obelisk student in the back. And because of it, most Obelisks and some Ra students burst out laughing, snapping Shin out from his sleep.

…Also causing him face plant the desk accidentally, alerting Manjoume and his goons, as well as Asuka and some other Obelisks.

' _Was he sleeping this entire time?'_ thought Manjoume with a raised eyebrow. Of course, he ignored it and grinned at Sho's misery.

Said boy, turning red from embarrassment.

"Just calm down, Sho." said Judai reassuringly.

"To think you can't even answer such a simple question…you may sit down." said Chronos disappointed. "You have shocked me, yet again, Slifer Red..." he continued, making most of the class start laughing again.

"I know what it is, but I just have stage fright..." said Sho sadly.

"Skill and knowledge, aren't completely related though, professor Chronos." said Shin, his head on his forearms. "Even someone who doesn't know what all cards do, can rely on their instinct and still win." he said.

"He's right." agreed Judai. "I don't know what all cards do and I'm a Slifer Red, but I was still able to beat you!" he said with a big smile, causing the Slifer Red students to laugh.

' _Mamma mia!'_ Chronos thought, while biting into a handkerchief out of frustration.

Seeing this, Asuka inaudibly giggled, while Shin just grinned.

' _Another one is put in their place~'_

Later…

"Alchemy is the art of turning regular metals, into rare metal like gold..." said Daitokuji, while scratching the back oh his cat.

This time, Shin was back with the Slifer students, coincidentally positioned right in front of Asuka, but still within hearing range of Judai and Sho.

While Daitokuji was rambling on about where Alchemy started. Sho turned to Judai, to express his gratitude for earlier.

"Thanks for helping me out earlier, Aniki."

"No problem Sho" Judai said, before noticing that Daitokuji was looking their way. "Shh. Or I may have to do it again..." he whispered.

"Marufuji-kun." Daitokuji called. "Can you fetch Pharaoh for me?"

"H-Huh?" was all Sho could say, before a meowing sound was heard. Looking down, he noticed Daitokuji cat rubbing against his leg.

In Chronos's office…

Chronos was sat at his office, writing on a piece of paper. He was also pretty angry.

"That drop out boy...making such a mockery out of me…!" he seethed. "And to think Signore Shin started it all…! They're corrupting him faster than I expected! Good thing that little 'incident' resulted in Signore Shin facing an Obelisk Blue. That should help speed up my plan up and get him away from those slackers!" he thought happily.

After he finished writing the letter, he folded it up and placed it in an envelope. He then picked up a hand mirror and lipstick. After doing putting the lipstick on, he closed the envelope and sealed it with a kiss. Literally.

"That should do it." he smiled at his work, before laughing out loud. "Oh yes, that's right. I still need to organize that Duel. Better get to it, so Signore Shin can go up the ranks~" he said gleefully, before getting to work, preparing the Duel.

In PE class…

' _Where are Sho and Shin?'_ wondered Judai, while waiting for the teacher along with the other students.

In the locker rooms, Chronos was sneaking around, trying to find Judai's locker.

"Now where could that drop out boys locker be?"

Opening locker door after locker door, Chronos finally found it, after seeing Judai's shoes in it.

Placing the letter, Chronos grinned widely. Unbeknownst to him, someone else was in the locker as well, due to a personal matter and saw Chronos.

Back on the field…

"Hello, everyone." greeted the teacher. She was busty, Onee-sama type of girl. She had red hair, with one bunch that sticks out over the right side of her face and large gray eyes. Since it was PE, she wore a normal, female jersey and pants, issued by the academy. Strangely, however, she also wore a pair of large earrings. Not what one would wear during PE class.

"My name is Emi Ayukawa and as of today, I will be teaching you health and physical education." She said with a smile. "Pleased to meet all of you...huh?" she wondered, upon noticing someone missing. "Is there someone missing?" she asked.

"Well, Sho and Shin are missing." answered Judai.

"Actually, not." answered another voice.

Turning towards the entrance, they noticed the owner of the voice.

"'Sup." Shin greeted with a smile, his sunglasses ever present.

"Oh, Shin! There you are! Say, have you seen Sho anywhere?"

"Yeah he's changing. Sorry if he's late, that's kinda my fault. I happened upon him in the lockers and took some of his time." he apologized sheepishly. Then approaching Emi, he handed her a little letter. "This is from the Principal. I'm supposed to go to the nurses office and can't participate in this class. Also, would you mind telling me where I can find the school nurse? I don't really know my way around." he said with a smile.

Taking the letter and reading it, Emi also smiled.

"Alright, then. You are excused from participating today. Also, you are looking at the school's nurse~" she said with a warm smile.

' _Damn...her looks don't really help with that stereotype about school nurses.'_ he said with a slight pink dusting on his cheeks. _'I wonder if she get's back pain, with those knockers...'_ he thought before snapping out of it when Emi said something.

"You wait on the side for a moment and then I'll take you to my office, where we can take a look at your predicament, alright?" Emi asked, to which Shin only nodded and went on one of the side benches.

"Alright class, this is your assignment, until I finish with Shin-kun." Emi said, telling everyone to run a few laps, after which they should do some stretching exercises. Of course, some people became jealous of Shin. The reason? We all know why.

' _Hmm...I still wonder what that letter was about...'_ thought Shin.

 _Flashback~_

" _Im laaate!" exclaimed Sho, whilst running into locker room. Quickly taking his shoes off, Sho opened his locker door, only to notice Judai's shoes in it. "Oh Aniki...why do you always put your shoes in my locker?" he said, while taking the shoes out. He then noticed something falling off of them. "A letter?" he said, while opening it and reading it's contents._

" _So what do you have there, Sho?" asked a voice behind Sho, scaring him. That voice, belonged to Shin._

" _A-Ah Shin-kun. I-It's nothing! Hehe~" he said, trying to hide the letter._

" _I've liked you ever since we first met..." Shin started reading Sho's letter out loud. Hearing this, Sho looked at his hands, noticing that the letter was gone._

" _W-Wait, Shin-kun! Don't read that!" Sho shouted embarrassed, while trying to grab the letter from Shin's hands. Unfortunately, due to his short stature, Shin kept a firm foot on Sho's chest, effectively keeping him from obtaining the letter._

" _I'll be waiting for you behind the girl's dorm tonight..." he said, before suddenly letting Sho go "-Asuka Tenjoin?!" he exclaimed, before hearing a **thud** next to him. Looking, he noticed Sho's face firmly planted in the locker door next to Shin. "S-Sorry about that Sho..." Shin sweatdropped._

" _Mouuu…Why are you reading my personal letters Shin-kun?! You're mean!"_

"' _Your' letters?" Shin said confused._

" _Yeah! That letter is mine!" Sho exclaimed, while trying to snatch the letter back. Only to fail, yet again._

" _Sho.." Shin started, while bending down to Sho's level "This letter is for Judai."_

" _W-What? No way!" Sho exclaimed in disbelief._

 _Shin opened the letter and pointed towards the name of the recipient. "Yes way..."_

" _Oh man...I can't even get a fake love letter…?" said Sho dejectedly._

" _That aside...I smell something fishy on this letter." Shin said, while looking at the letter with suspicion._

" _What makes you say that?"_

" _Well for one, I don't think Asuka-chan is the type to 'fall in love at first sight'. Then, I really don't think she would write these kind of words in a letter anyone could find and third" he said, while pointing at the lipstick mark on the letter "She doesn't even wear this kind of lipstick!"_

" _Then, who would write this?" asked Sho_

" _Someone who doesn't fancy Judai I'm sure. Unfortunately, after today, there are enough people to put on that list." Shin said, omitting the fact that someone was in the lockers previously..._

" _Oh by the way, Shin-kun" Sho asked, snapping Shin out of his thinking "Why are **you** so late?"_

" _I'm not late. I have an excuse." said Shin._

" _And what excuse is that- ack!" he said, before Shin took off his sunglasses and showed Sho his eyes._

" _Does this answer your question?"_

" _Y-Yes!"_

 _Looking at the clock, Shin noticed that class was in session, so turning to Sho, he said_

" _You should get back to changing, Sho. Or you're really going to be late."_

 _And with that, after putting the letter into his own pocket and equipping the sunglasses, Shin went out on the field searching for the teacher._

 _Flashback end~_

' _And so we are here...'_ Shin thought, until he noticed Emi approaching him.

"Alright Shin-kun, please follow me to my office." she said with a smile.

So standing up, Shin followed the busty teacher. Walking along the schools hallways, Shin couldn't help but notice something very important.

' _Damn, baby got some back...'_ Shin thought, in one of the rare moments where his desires got the better of him. Unfortunately, Shin couldn't help but keep staring at the teacher's ass. _'Is it just me, or is she actually walking with a sway in her hips. Damn I need some water...'._

"Here we are, Shin-kun." Emi said, Shin quickly snapping out of his trance. "Follow me inside please." she said, while walking inside the room. Following suit, Shin entered the white hospital-like room. "Please sit on one of those beds, so we can begin." she said, after taking a note pad of sorts.

Of course, Shin did as instructed and sat on one of the beds.

"So what is the problem, Shin-kun?"

"This." he said simply, while taking off his sunglasses and showing Emi his eyes, surprising the teacher.

"Oh my. What happened?" she asked, slightly worried.

"Insomnia. And me falling unconscious with my eyes open." he answered simply.

The teacher hummed in thought, while looking over some papers. Taking one close look at Shin's eyes, she closed her note pad, stood up and went to a cupboard in the corner.

"Well, it looks like your eyes are just a little dried up. From the looks of it, it's nothing too serious. Ah here it is~" she said, after reaching inside the cupboard and taking out a small bottle of eye drops. Walking back towards Shin, she gave him the bottle. "Just a couple drops in each eye every day and you should be fine by the end of the week." she said with a smile.

Shin took the bottle and thanked the teacher, after which he went back to his dorm as PE was the last class the students had for the day.

Making it back, Shin was greeted with a strange sight.

" **Nngh~ No...Not there Master...Nom"**

" **Mmm~ Yes~ Right there Shi-chan… Nom"**

In his bed, was his Partner and Eatos. However, what truly surprised him, wasn't the fact that they were both hugging and munching on a life sized body pillow of Shin, it was actually their choice of clothing.

...Or lack thereof.

On the right side of the body pillow, was Shin's Partner, who was wearing nothing but a pair of lacy pink panties.

' _Did she have to be drooling on that pillow...no scratch that! Why is she squeezing the pillow between her legs?!'_ Shin thought while blushing.

Fortunately for Shin's sanity, Eatos had the decency to wear a bra AND one of his T-Shirts. However, she too, was in her underwear.

' _White lace, huh? Well at least she's not dry humping the pillow me...'_ Shin thought, before gaining a sweat drop upon seeing Eatos hugging the pillow between her breasts and munching on the corner of, said pillow. _'She definitely undressed Eatos sometime after I left. There's no way she would willingly agree to something like this.'_

As tempting, as replacing the body pillow with himself was, Shin had other things to do.

' _Although I think I should do that some other time. For research purposes...'_

After taking his sunglasses off and going over to the bed, where the two were peacefully sleeping, he bent down so he was hovering over their faces.

' _Aww~ They look so cute and peaceful right now. I'm almost tempted to kiss them~'_ Shin thought with an innocent childlike smile. _' Well~ Time to give them a wake up call...'_ so getting even closer, he gently whispered in their ears.

"It's time to wake up sweethearts~" he gently sang, slightly stirring them awake.

" **Nngh~ Noo~ We're not done yet Shi-chan.."** mumbled his Partner cutely.

" **Hmm~ You still haven't made me feel good Master~.."** mumbled Eatos with a slightly lewd expression.

' _Okaaayy...learned something about **you** today Eatos…' _Shin thought with a raised eyebrow. Shaking his head, he tried again. "Wake up sleepyheads~ Shin will give you something special if you do~" he sang this time.

" **Oh, you're already giving me something special...hehe~"** giggled Shin's partner slightly perversely.

" **Something special from Master…?"** said Eatos in her sleep. In a normal, curious voice this time.

' _Well at least I'm making **some** progress over here' _he stated, whilst looking at Eatos's face _'Though I'm a little worried about her...'_ he said while looking at his Partner. _'I know this attraction-thing works on everything I interact with, but it always happened when I myself felt the same...she couldn't have naturally fallen for me...right?'_ Shin thought, whilst examining his Partners peaceful face. Her blonde hair, spread around on the bed, her soft cheeks and the constant pink blush, her pink lips… Shin stopped there, with only one thought in mind.

' _Well...shit…!'_

Deciding to ignore his own feelings for now, he turned back to his sleeping companions. This time, he decided to try something crazy. Since both of them seemed to be dreaming something…less PG, he decide to use a very special wake up call.

So leaning close to their ears, he whispered huskily.

"If you wake up, I'll give you a **very** special treat..."

And as soon as his words left his mouth, both his Partner and Eatos immediately woke up, threw the bedsheets off and rose up. This shocked Shin.

"What are you two, dogs in heat?!" he exclaimed, snapping the two females back to reality. While Eatos had the decency to bring the bedsheets to cover her panties, Shin's Partner didn't seem to mind.

" **Hmm? Oh, morning Shi-chan! Did you have a good day?"** she asked sweetly. Completely disregarding the fact that one, she was topless, giving Shin a **very** generous view of her assets and two, she had been having a not-so-child-friendly dream moments ago.

"Oh yes, I have been having a very good day~" Shin answered, playing along. "So~ Care to tell me why you two have been hugging pillow me over there half to death in my bed?" Shin asked with a smile. Eatos, of course, blushed madly at being caught and promptly buried her face in her hands muttering _'I can't face Master again...'_ , while Shin's Partner smiled and answered Shin's question without skipping a beat.

" **Well it's because pillow Shin, as I've so affectionately begun calling him, is so soft and cuddly, I couldn't resist~"** she said, while bringing the body pillow to her chest and hugging it tightly.

"And you just decided to join, Eatos?" Shin asked with a raised eyebrow.

" **O-Of course not, Shin-sama!"** she answered embarrassed. **"I didn't want to use your bed in such a way, but before I knew it, I was already in my undergarments and under the bed sheets! I-I am not quite sure how it happened but..."** she continued while looking down, before feeling a soft hand petting her head. Looking up, she noticed Shin's smiling face.

"It's alright Eatos. I don't mind at all~"

" **Hehe~ I knew Shi-chan likes some girl-to-girl action..."** muttered Shin's Partner with a knowing grin. Turning his head towards her, Shin raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't I tell you to stop dragging other people in these kind of situations? Especially since it's always females?"

" **Oh come on Shi-chan! You know I can't sleep without something soft and cuddly next to me anymore. And besides~"** she said, before disappearing and reappearing behind Eatos, swiftly grabbing her breasts and fondling them. **"What's softer and cuddlier than a nice pair of boobies to replace Shi-chan~?"**

" **A-Ahn~ S-Stop that! O-Only Master is allowed to- ah~"** Eatos moaned, due to having her breasts fondled.

Shin, could only stare on in amazement, with a small trail of blood coming out of his nose.

' _God bless fan fiction...'_ Shin thought, barely keeping conscious from his blood going from his head into...another.

" **See Eatos? What did I tell you?"** Shin's Partner whispered in Eatos ear **"Shi-chan *loves* some girl-to-girl action… And with that said…nom~"** she said, soon after softly biting Eatos's neck, hitting her sweet spot.

" **A-Ahn~ N-No...If you bite there...then I'm gonna – A-Ahn~~"** Eatos moaned, before something 'magical' happened. If her face afterward was anything to go by. Such a blissful face, she had. The release…

 ***SPLURT**THUD***

" **Huh?"** Shin's Partner stopped the, quite enjoyable, show upon hearing the sound of something hitting the floor. Setting Eatos back on the pillow, she looked on the ground.

On the ground, was Shin himself. And a noticeable trail of blood ran from his nose down his face, neck and clothes.

" **Oh dear...I guess that was too much stimulation for one day~"** Shin's Partner giggled. Looking towards Eatos, she couldn't help but notice something… **' _Certainly learned something about you today Eatos. That wet patch between your legs tells me you are easy to please...Hehe~ That certainly gives me some ideas~'_** she thought mischievously. _**'But, for now I should let Shi-chan relax. The fun can truly begin some other time… OK, time to bring Cinnamon over here back to the Duel Monster Realm. She's had an overdose of stimulation as well...I certainly don't regret it...she tastes sweet~"**_ and with that, after making her Magic Wand appear and waving it once, she an Eatos disappeared. A note being the only thing that remained.

A while later…

 **Bzzt Bzzt**

"H-huh? What happened…?" Shin asked in a daze, after waking up. Hearing something buzzing, he looked at his PDA and saw a new message. Opening it, he was surprised to see Chronos's face appear.

' _Attention please. As per request, a Duel between Signore Shin from Slifer Red and Signore Kenji from Obelisk Blue has been organized. The duel shall take place at the Duel Field at 18:00 PM. Feel free to come and watch and to the participants of the duel, don't be late. It shall count as forfeiting. Thank you for your attention.'_

"So they finally decided when the duel is gonna take place. What time is it anyways?" said Shin to himself, while looking at the clock. It read 17:10 PM.

' _Hmm, so I still have enough time. I should definitely change this shirt...'_ Shin thought, after remembering why he passed out in the first place and took a look at his shirt which was now red because of his nosebleed. _'That's some Naruto level of nosebleed...'_ he thought with a sweatdrop.

Standing up, he noticed that his two spirits were gone. Looking towards the bed, he noticed the shirt Eatos was wearing and a note. Taking both in his hand, he began reading the note.

' _ **Took Eatos back to the Duel Monster Realm to calm down and relax. I'll keep her company for a while. See you tonight, Shi-chan~ XOXO'**_

' _Huh. So she's 'keeping Eatos company', eh? Why do I have a feeling she's doing something else...'_ thought Shin with a sweatdrop.

Deciding to ignore it for now, he replaced his dirty T-Shirt, with the one Eatos was wearing, put his sunglasses back on and left towards the Duel Field.

Soon enough, he arrived at the Duel Field. He noticed that quite a number of students have gathered.

' _Most likely because it's not often that a Slifer battles an Obelisk.'_ Shin deduced.

Since he still had around 30 minutes left, Shin decided to just sit on the stairs of the Duel Arena and check his newest Deck.

 **-GX-**

"Shin! Over here!"

"Hmm?" Lifting his head, Shin saw Judai waving at him from the stands. Next to him were Sho and Misawa.

"You got this! Just remember to have fun!" Judai shouted.

"Give it your all, Shin-kun!" Sho encouraged.

Misawa only smiled and gave Shin a thumbs up. Something Shin returned.

However, Shin soon noticed someone missing.

' _Where's Asuka-chan...'_ Shin thought slightly sad. Fortunately, that changed when he looked higher up in the stands.

Leaning on the railing, was Asuka herself. And she, like Misawa, gave Shin a smile and thumbs up. However, Shin couldn't help but notice that someone else, was standing next to Asuka.

' _Hey, it's that guy who helped me find Samejima's office. I wonder why he's here...'_

"So are you ready to be put in your place slug?" a loud and obnoxious voice snapped Shin out of his thinking.

Looking over his shoulder, Shin saw his opponent standing on the other side of the Field. Checking the time, he saw it read 17:50 PM.

' _Time sure flies by, huh…?'_ Shin thought, whilst standing up and taking his deck out of his pocket.

"Someone is definitely going to be put in their place, but it won't be me." Shin stated confidently.

"Hah! And I'm Seto Kaiba! Drop outs like you have no place around us Elites! And I'll make sure to send you back to your drop out friends before you even realize it!" the Obelisk student shouted arrogantly. Something that made Shin's expression darken.

' _Looks like it's time to teach someone that lesson again. Time for some due punishment…!'_ Shin thought angrily, before his Partners words echoed in his mind.

' _ **Don't let your darker self dish it out.'**_

' _Kh...she's right though...'_ Shin thought, while taking a calming breath. _'I can't have every single arrogant opponent I face, sent to the hospital...There aren't enough hospitals in the world.'_ he thought amused.

Soon enough, Chronos made his appearance on the Duel Field.

"Alright!" Chronos declared, while looking towards Shin. "Are you ready, Signore Shin?"

"Always." he declared.

Turning towards the Obelisk students, he asked.

"And you, Signore Kenji? Are you ready?

"I'm ready to crush slimes any day!" he shouted arrogantly.

"Then let the duel-" he said, while raising his arms high into the air "-BEGIN!"

 **DUEL**

 **Shin:** 8000 LP x5

 **Kenji:** 8000LP x5

"You can have the first move...Kenji was it?" Shin asked his opponent.

"Yeah that's the name. And remember it, slug! I draw!" Kenji shouted, while drawing his card.

 **Kenji** x6

"First, I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands!" Kenji said, as a block of wood materialized and from it, Manju carved out.

Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands -LV4- (1400/1000)

"And now, I activate it's special ability! When it's summoned to the field, I can add one Ritual Spell or Monster to my hand! I choose, Black Luster Ritual!" he declared, while adding the card to his hand.

' _A Ritual user? Those can be a pesky bunch...maybe I should have gone with one of my normal decks, since this one still has some kinks...'_ thought Shin, while slightly narrowing his eyes. _'Nevermind. It'll help me improve the deck anyways…'_ he thought, before focusing back on his opponent.

"I place a face down and end my turn! You're up drop out boy! Not like you can win anyways!"

 **Kenji** x5

' _Still arrogant huh?...I'm going to enjoy wiping that arrogance off of your face…!'_

"My turn! I draw!" declared Shin, while drawing his card.

 **Shin** x6

' _Alrighty, let's see...'_ he thought, whilst analyzing his cards. Soon enough, he started grinning childishly _'Well, looks like it's about time for a Duelist Kingdom throwback...revised by Pegasus-chan himself~'_ he sang in his mind.

"Alrighty then! You know, it's a good thing some new cards have been released, before this year started~ Gave me plenty of cards to play around with. Like this one for example~" he sang like a child.

"You mean cards that Slifer slugs have?" Kenji snorted "I doubt any of those trashy cards could help you."

"Oh? But whoever said...It was cards that **Slifers** had…?" Shin said with a glint in his eyes. "Tell me...are you familiar with the ' **Cyber** ' series?" he grinned.

This got a reaction out of him and most of the Obelisk Blue students. Especially Asuka and her companion.

' _Cyber? Is he using them too…?'_ thought Asuka's companion. He was now paying close attention to Shin.

' _Is he a Cyber user like Ryo?'_ Asuka thought, voicing it to her companion. "What do you think Ryo? Do you think he's really using the Cyber Dragon series?"

"It remains to be seen..." said the newly named Ryo. Him and Asuka, then focused back on the Duel.

"Who isn't? That's the series that the academy's Kaiser is using. Are you telling me a slug like you, has those same cards?!" shouted Kenji. After all, how could a Slifer slime posses the same cards as the best duelist in the academy?

Shin, however, only grinned.

"Who knows? We'll just have to find out, won't we?" he said eagerly. "Using it's special effect" Shin started, making Asuka, Ryo and Sho watch closely "I special Summon...Cyber Dragon!" he declared, the aforementioned persons being surprised.

However, after Shin declared his monsters Special summon, something strange happened.

A large, cartoonish pink cloud of smoke appeared. After which, sounds of metal clangs and plasma torches were heard within it. And soon, enough, a tiny form was visible within the cloud.

Eh?

Was the joint thought, of everyone present.

"Oh, yes that's right." Shin said, as a light bulb went off above his head, upon noticing everyone's confused reaction. "You all aren't yet familiar with Cyber Dragon's newest update, are you? Well, let me clear up any confusion." he said, gaining everyone's attention. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Presenting, Cyber Dragon's newest update! All **tooned** up and ready to go~...Cyber **Toon** Dragon!" he announced, as the cartoon cybernetic dragon jumped out of the smoke, landing on top of his masters head, slithering around his neck like a scarf and bowing it's head.

Cyber Toon Dragon -LV5- (2100/1600)

The reactions, were mixed.

"Cuutee~" was what most females present shouted simultaneously.

Asuka and Ryo, could only gain a considerable sweatdrop, upon noticing the transformation of the Kaisers prized monster.

"Wow! Look at that thing! It looks so awesome and so cuddly at the same time!" shouted Judai, excited at seeing a new monster.

Sho, was, torn. He didn't know what to think.

As for Misawa…' _I expected Shin to be slightly childish...but this is a bit much..."_ he thought with a sweatdrop.

"Pff~ Hahaha!" Kenji began laughing, making Shin and Cyber Toon Dragon pout simultaneously, in turn making the girls swoon over them again. "You plan on beating me with cartoons?! Bahahaha~ You really are a joke Slifer! And your cards seem to be sharing that trait! Ahahaa!"

' _This guy obviously doesn't know how much of a threat Toon monsters actually pose...Just ask Yugi and Seto-chan~'_ Shin smirked.

"I'm not through yet! Since Cyber Toon Dragon was a Special summon, I still have my Normal Summon! And with that said...I normal summon, Toon Gemini Elf!" Shin declared, as the same pink cloud appeared, this time the two elf sisters jumping out from it.

"Ahaha~ You really plan on fighting me with cartoons, aren't you?! Oh, man this is precious!" Kenji continued to laugh, this time, beginning to annoy all of Shin's friends. Even Ryo and, surprisingly, Manjoume to an extent.

'''' _This guy is slowly starting to get on **my** nerves...'''' _thought Judai, Sho, Asuka and Misawa

' _Man this guy is too loud. It's starting to get my nerves...'_ thought Manjoume.

' _I'm starting to feel bad, just from being in the same dorm as that guy...Being prideful is one thing, arrogant another...but all of those combined with that loud mouth of his...'_ Ryo thought with slight disdain.

"Keep laughing while you can. You forget that it was these 'cartoons' that posed the most challenge to Seto Kaiba and Yugi Muto during Duelist Kingdom. And by the end of this duel, you'll learn that lesson as well. I now activate, Toon Table of Contents!" Shin declared, as the card flipped up. "With this, I am allowed to add a 'Toon' card or a Manga Ryu-Ran from my Deck to my hand. And I choose, Toon World!" he said, as the card was automatically ejected from his deck. "Next, I activate the Spell card, Mystical Space Typhoon! And I use it to destroy your face down card!" he declared, as the small typhoon picked Kenji's face down card, revealing Giant Trunade. "That's my turn done. Your turn."

 **Shin** x3

"Heh! It just means that the end is nearing!" he said arrogantly, as he drew his card.

 **Kenji** x6

"First, since your were stupid enough to not attack it, I switch Manju to DEF mode. Next, I summon Zombyra the Dark in ATK mode!" he shouted, as the cloaked monster made it's appearance.

Zombyra the Dark -LV4- (2100/500)

"Now! Zombyra attack those pathetic toons! Attack Toon Gemini Elf!" he said, as his monster jumped up high and drop kicked the two panicking sisters, destroying them.

 **Shin:** 7800 LP

Zombyra – 200 ATK (1900/500)

"That's enough for now. The real fun will start on my next turn..." Kenji said with a sinister smirk.

 **Kenji** x5

This made Shin narrow his eyes slightly. _'He's up to something...'_

"Then it's my turn again! I draw! And I activate the card I just drew! Pot of Greed!" Shin declared, as he drew his two new cards. Shadow Toon and Toon Goblin Attack Force. "I summon, Toon Goblin Attack Force!" he said, as the cloud appeared, yet again and produced four cartoon goblins, iron maces at the ready.

Toon Goblin Attack Force -LV4- (2300/0)

"Hmmm…this field looks like it's missing something." said Shin, after looking at the field. Then, a light bulb went off above his head. "Oh, I know! How about we add a finishing Toon touch to this field. My Toons look like they miss home anyway." he said, as he brought a card close to his face. "I activate, Toon World!" he said, as he inserted the Magic card in the slot.

Soon enough, the same pink cloud appeared, however, from it came a giant book, a green cover and the word 'TOON' written on the front. The book opened and from it's pages. A castle popped out, gravestones and some mist around it.

 **Shin:** 6800 LP

"So you think bringing a giant Comic Book on the field, will give you an advantage? You're making me laugh! What's next?! You'll bring out some 'Toon Princess' to go with that castle and save you?!" Kenji taunted.

"Toon World let's my Toons activate their special ability. So it's gonna be my Toons that will be having the last laugh..." Shin said with a smirk. "Time to battle! Cyber Toon Dragon! Attack Kenji directly!" he declared, making Kenji do a spit take.

"Wait what?! You can't do that -gah!" he protested, before being silenced by a firm, iron tail drop on his skull, sending him on his ass.

 **Kenji:** 5900 LP

"But I just did." Shin said with a smug smile. Something that made Kenji very angry. "If an Elite Obelisk, such as yourself, didn't know, let me enlighten you, your Highness." Shin said mockingly, with mock bow. "While Toon World is out on the field, my Toons are allowed to do whatever they please when attacking. That means they can attack your LP directly, as long as you don't control a Toon monster yourself. I told you, my Toons will be having the last laugh." Shin explained, after straightening his back, his Toons giggling at Kenji. "Fortunately for you, Toon Goblin Attack Force, like most other Toons, can't attack on the turn it was summoned, but an 'Elite' such as yourself, should've already been aware of that fact. Oh wait, you weren't, just like you didn't know what Toon World did. Even though the effect of Toon cards should be basic knowledge, to anyone who saw Duelist Kingdom." Shin kept rubbing salt in the wound, further enraging Kenji.

' _That little bastard, making a mockery out of an Elite like me…! Heh...Just wait until next turn, punk! I'll make sure I put you in your place...'_ Kenji thought with a smirk, while looking at his hand and by moving his thumb a little, revealed the edge of an extra card, hidden on the back of another.

"I place one card, face down and end my turn!" declared Shin.

 **Shin** x2

"Then it's my turn! Prepare to face defeat, scum!" he said, as he quickly 'drew' his card. Fast enough to appear practically invisible to most in the stands. However, Shin wasn't in the stands and as hurt as his eyes were, he still noticed something. And it appears Ryo and Judai did too.

 **Kenji** x6

' _Why did his left hand twitch just then...and that draw seemed rushed as well...'_ thought Ryo.

"Huh? What is it Partner?" Judai asked his Duel Spirit. Said spirit, seemingly glaring at Kenji. More specifically, his hand. "Something wrong with his hand…?"

' _The hell? That draw seemed way too quick. Not to mention that slight twitch in his left hand…almost like…!'_ Shin thought, before opening his eyes in realization, his sunglasses hiding it. ' _Almost like a magic trick! That scum pulled a fast one…!'_ Shin glared, realizing that Kenji somehow pulled off the classic magic card trick, Shin himself having seen and tried it before during his free time. However, giving Kenji the benefit of the doubt, Shin decided to consult something he knew wouldn't lie. His duel disk's system. So, quickly glancing at the screen, he watched Kenji's draw, from the systems perspective. And lo and behold _'His deck 'gained' a card, before losing it just as quick…! He managed to fake out his regular draw, by replacing the card he was supposed to draw, with an extra card he had, before his duel disks system could recognize it! That's why he drew so quickly...'_ Shin was now full on glaring at Kenji. Even Torimaki and Mototani didn't stoop as low as to cheat. He still kept his emotions in check, however. If he were to let loose now, Kenji would definitely end up in hospital, or worse. _'Cheater or not, I don't want him on my conscience...'_

"Looks like it's time to put you in your place, slime!" Kenji shouted arrogantly, after having 'drawn' the card he needed. "I activate, Shinato's Ark!" he shouted, as a giant wooden ship, suddenly emerged behind him, the front of the arc opening, revealing a portal of sorts."Now, I must tribute monsters, whose combined Level equal 8 or higher. I choose Manju and Dark Blade from my hand and with it, I summon Shinato King of a Higher Plane!" Kenji declared.

From the portal, a glowing ball of light appeared, the arc itself beginning to fade away. The ball, began glowing brightly, before it started opening up into three pairs of golden wings. The wings spread out, reveal the blue masked monster, Shinato, a bright halo lighting up behind it's head.

Shinato King of a Higher Plane -LV8- (3300/3000)

"Aw man… look at that monster… Shin-kun might be in trouble now..." said Sho, slightly in awe at the monster.

"You're right there. That monster even give the Blue Eyes White Dragon a run for it's money. If Shin isn't careful, that monster might really be this duels end." analyzed Misawa.

"Come on guys! Have some faith would ya?" said Judai, believing in his friend. "I know Shin can still win this!"

With Asuka and Ryo…

"So that's Kenji's Ace..." Asuka said silently. _'Come on, Shin-kun...I know you can win this.'_ she thought, similar to Judai.

Ryo only hummed in thought. _'Let's see what you can do, against a monster that turns your own defense against you...'_ he thought, slightly referencing his own Ace.

Shin only stared blankly at the monster.

' _That's the monster he went through all that trouble to summon...'_ he thought disappointed. _'Just a power idiot it seems. No spells or traps to support it. Just a simple beat down deck with some strong Ritual monsters. I'm disappointed.'_

"What wrong slime?! Are you so scared of Shinato, that you cant even speak?! Well?!" he shouted, thinking he had the duel won.

"No, I'm just unimpressed." Shin said simply "You did **that** , just to bring this out? I expected more."

"Oh yeah?! Then why don't you expect this! I summon Blade Knight in ATK mode!" Kenji shouted.

Blade Knight -LV4- (1600/1000)

"Now Shinato, attack his Toon Goblin Attack Force!"

Shinato charged up a ball of light energy in it's hands, ready to launch it at Shin's monster, before it suddenly stopped. Seeing this, confused Kenji.

"What's wrong?! Attack his damn monster already!" he shouted enraged.

"It's impossible. This is why I said I was disappointed. You summoned Shinato, but how did you plan on protecting him?" Shin asked.

"Hah?! What do you mean?!"

"Reveal Trap card!" Shin announced, as his face down flipped up. "Sakuretsu Armor!"

Burning pieces of armor began materializing on Shinato, burning the monster in the process, soon bursting into pixels.

Seeing his Ace disappear so quickly, made Kenji grit his teeth hard.

"Sakuretsu Armor, can only be activated, when my opponents monster declares an attack and with it, I am allowed to destroy, said monster." elaborated Shin, further angering Kenji.

"You won't get away with that, scum!" snarled Kenji

"The only scum here is you, for that little trick you pulled earlier!" glared Shin, his statement surprising Chronos, the audience and Kenji himself.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about, slime! I set one face down and end my turn! Now just get on with your turn!"

 **Kenji** x1

"I will." He said simply, as he reached his deck. Touching the top card, he smiled. "I draw!" he said, strongly drawing his card, a familiar small gust of wind following.

' _So, are you done 'keeping Eatos company'?'_ Shin asked in his mind.

' _ **Yeah, I got bored, so I decided to come and join you~'**_ came the voice of Partner, who soon enough, appeared next to him, a big smile on her face.

"Huh?!" exclaimed Judai, upon seeing Shin's Partner. His slight outburst gained the attention of his two companions.

"Is something wrong, Aniki?" asked Sho

"O-Oh, no. Nothings wrong." Judai responded quickly. He turned back to the field. _'So Shin can see Duel Spirits as well. And not just that, his partner is a legendary card…!'_ thought Judai excitedly.

' _ **So what are we looking at Shi-chan?'**_ Shin's Partner asked, while checking the field.

' _A cheater...'_ Shin responded with a scowl. This made his Partner frown as well. _'Shall we teach him a lesson, as to what happens to cheaters?'_ he asked with a smirk. A smirk she returned.

' _ **I'm always up for that~'**_ she said, doing a quick twirl, with it turning into her Toon form and jumped back into the card. Turning back towards the field, he smiled.

"Alright! It's time to bring this duel to an end! I sacrifice my Toon Goblin Attack Force, to tribute summon, my trusted friend and Partner… Come out! Dark Magician Girl!" Shin declared, greatly shocking the audience, Sho in particular.

The same pink cloud, produced a magical book. The book soon began shaking, before opening up with confetti and revealing, the one and only, Dark Magician Girl. Only in her Toon version.

Toon Dark Magician Girl -LV6- (2000/1700)

"Huh?! That guy has one of Yugi Muto's cards?!" asked a random Ra student, before beong silenced by an Obelisk.

"Of course not! Toon Dark Magician Girl is a separate card, not to mention there's supposedly only one Dark Magician Girl card in the world. And that card should be in Yugi Muto's deck.

Back to the Duel...

"Of course, since Toon World is in play, she has to join our little Toon trend." he said, as she flew behind him, and hugged his head like a child, making most males in the stands gain heart eyes at how cute she was. "But, that doesn't mean she is any less cute~" he cooed, as he hugged her, the two rubbing their cheeks together like children.

"Will you just get on with it?!" shouted Kenji.

' **My he's in a rush to lose.'** said Dark Magician Girl in Shin's mind, as she let go of him.

' _They all are...'_ Shin answered with a grin.

"Alright, then! Since Toon World is in play, this is the final turn!" Shin declared, his two monsters preparing to attack.

"Hah! Not with this! I activate my own Trap! Spirit Barrier! Now, as long as I have a monster, I won't take any direct damage!" he shouted proudly.

Shin and his monsters, however, just stared blankly at him. Making Kenji sweatdrop.

"W-What?!"

"You're really an idiot, aren't you?" Shin asked blankly.

"Care to repeat that, punk?!"

"You're an idiot." Shin repeated, without skipping a beat, making Kenji rage further. "You realize Cyber Toon Dragon can easily dispatch of your monster, right? Then Toon DMG is free to attack your LP, since I know the only card left in your hand is Black Luster Ritual." Shin explained.

"I'll still have enough LP to last another turn!"

"Not with this." Shin said, copying Kenji. "I activate, Toon Rollback!" he declared, as the card flipped up. "With this, I can choose one Toon Monster I have and that monster get's a second attack this turn! And I choose, Toon Dark Magician Girl!" Shin said, as Dark Magician Girl suddenly got a second Magic Wand. "Next I activate, Shadow Toon! With it, I can choose one of your monster, and deal damage equal to that monsters ATK! I choose, Blade Knight!" Shin declared, as Blade Knight turned to his owner and slashed him across the torso.

 **Kenji** 3900 LP

"Time to end this! Cyber Toon Dragon, attack Blade Knight!" The Dragon jumped using it's tail and, like it did with Kenji, it slammed it's tail hard on the knights head, destroying it. "Now, Toon Dark Magician Girl! Attack him directly! **Double Dark Burning!** " he shouted, as Toon DMG charged up two balls of dark energy in her Magic Wands, launching them at Kenji, the ensuing explosion sending him skidding on his back.

 **Kenji** 0 LP

 **WINNER SHIN!**

 **-GX-**

And with that, the Duel was over. A Slifer, managed to beat an Obelisk.

"" **WOOOHOOOO""** everyone erupted into cheers. Mostly the Slifer, but most of the Ra student, and even some Obelisks, were clapping alongside them. Among those students, counted Misawa, Alexis and Ryo.

Quickly jumping over the railing, Judai made his way to Shin to congratulate him. Everyone else following suit, but at their own pace. Ryo decided to leave unnoticed, with a small smile on his face

"Well done, Shin! I knew you could do it! Duel me next, please!" said Judai excitedly, while having Shin in a slight head lock.

"I'm sure Shin-kun needs to rest for a bit beforehand." came Asuka's voice, as she and the rest of the gang made it to him.

"Indeed. Shin needs a little rest before dueling. Besides, didn't we suggest to make it a three way duel, to determine who's Number 1?" asked Misawa. Shin and Judai grinning and giving him a thumbs up.

"Well don, Signore Shin." Chronos made his way to Shin. "I will give the Principal the results of this duel, so that they will be noted in you student file." he said with a formal tone.

"Ughh..." groaned Kenji, as he barely begun standing up. Seeing this, Shin frowned and went towards him. While the gang and Chronos thought he was going to offer Kenji a helping hand, they were understandably shocked, by what Shin did next.

 ***STOMP***

"Guh..!"

Shin didn't help Kenji up. Instead, he brought him back on the ground, by slightly stomping on his back. His glasses were removed and everyone could see the scowl on Shin's face.

"Cheaters have no place in this academy." Shin spat out, surprising Chronos and the gang.

"Cheater?! Signore Kenji?" exclaimed Chronos, in disbelief that his Obelisk student would even be suspected of cheating.

"I told you, I have no idea what you're on about!" shouted Kenji, trying to stand up, however Shin's foot wouldn't budge.

"Oh really?" Shin asked rhetorically. Bending down, he picked up Shinato and Shinato's Ark, slightly confusing those present.

That was, until he opened his hand and, to everyone's shock, the cards sticked to his fingers like glue, not giving any sign of falling anytime soon. Seeing this, Kenji gulped.

"Care to explain why the back of 'Shinato's Ark' and the front of 'Shinato King of a Higher Plane' are covered in a thin layer of special glue?" asked Shin, while glaring dagger at Kenji.

"Signore Kenji! What is the meaning of this?!" asked an outraged Chronos. Kenji, was starting to sweat bullets.

"I-I have no idea why those cards are covered in glue, I-I swear! I would never-gah!" Kenji was swiftly silenced by Shin applying pressure on his spine.

"There's no point in lying. Just admit you cheated." Shin stated, making Kenji grit his teeth. "Huh, looks like he won't talk. Then I'll explain." he said, turning to Chronos. "He glued Shinato to the back of it's Ritual card, with a thin layer of glue that would quickly turn liquid when warmed up. The only thing he had to do, was draw Shinato's Ark and keep it between his fingers to warm the cards up. Then he'd just have to swipe Shinato, put it on top of his Deck and draw it, before the Duel Disk's system recognized the trick and fast enough so no one could properly see his draw. Fortunately enough, **my** Duel Disk has a much more advanced Duel System, so it was able to record the anomaly." he said, while taking his Duel Disk off, turning the screen on and showing them Kenji's last draw. That, was when they all saw, that Kenji's deck, for a second, **gained** a card, before losing it in the next second, thus making it count as a normal draw. "He faked his original draw, replacing the card he was supposed to draw with Shinato. Isn't that right?" he asked, looking down at the silent Kenji.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense, Signore Kenji?" asked Chronos, Getting no response, Chronos shook his head. "To think the biggest embarrassment today, would come from an Obelisk Blue…!" he said through gritted teeth. Fixing Kenji with a frown, he gave the verdict. "Such behavior is not accepted here at Duel Academia. You will come with me to Principal Samejima's office, to report your cheating and you are hereby expelled from Duel Academia. We will let your parents know, so they can come and pick you up. Come with me. Now." Chronos commanded, Shin raising his foot, letting Kenji stand back up. Afterward, he quietly followed Chronos out of the Duel Arena, while hanging his head low. But, not before giving Shin one last glare. It's meaning being clear to Shin.

'' _You'll regret that...', huh? Well it's certainly not the first threat I've got.'_ Shin thought, not paying it much attention.

The arena was quiet, as soon as Chronos and Kenji left. No one could believe that an Obelisk Blue, an Elite, would resort to cheating. Against a Slifer no less.

' _Tch! That scum besmirched Obelisk Blue dorm's good name…!'_ thought Manjoume, along with a couple of other Obelisk Student. They were the first to make their exit. It was the Ra and Slifer students that left soon after. But not before congratulating Shin on last time.

Soon, it was only Shin, Judai, Sho, Asuka and Misawa remaining. Good thing Judai broke the silence.

"So...I didn't know you could see Duel Spirits as well, Shin!" Judai said happily, surprising Shin and confusing the others.

"Well first, you didn't ask and second, I could ask you the same thing Judai. I didn't know you could see them too." Shin said with a raised eyebrow. Asuka, Sho and Misawa, were lost.

"You didn't ask~" Judai teased. "But that means, you can see my Partner too right?" Judai asked, as Winged Kuriboh appeared and almost immediately latched onto Shin's head.

"Hehe~ Hey there Winged Kuriboh. Long time no see, huh~" he giggled, while petting the furball, who cooed in reply. This, surprised Judai.

"You already know each other?"

"I knew Winged Kuriboh, long before **he** even gave it to you." Shin answered with a smirk. Making Judai eyes widen even more.

"So, that means-!" he said, before stopping, when seeing Shin making a silence gesture.

"I want to leave those facts as a surprise for later~" Shin grinned.

"So, does that mean you really have **that** card?" Judai asked excitedly. Soon enough, his entire face lit up, when seeing the real Dark Magician Girl pop out from behind Shin, latching onto his back, as if she was getting a piggy back ride.

"If the earlier demonstration wasn't enough~" Shin grinned, his Partner following suit.

"OK, I'm completely lost. What are you guys talking about?" asked a very confused Asuka. Sho and Misawa nodding in agreement.

After looking around and confirming that no one else was present, Shin reached behind him, in his main Deck.

"Well, you see, some Duelist have a special ability. The ability to interact with Duel Spirits." he said, surprising the three. "Judai and I, were just introducing our Partners to each other. Judai has his trusted Winged Kuriboh and me..." he said, producing a card and showing it to Asuka, Sho and Misawa. "I have her." he said simply, the three staring in awe at the card.

Dark Magician Girl -LV6- (2000/1700)

"No way!" shouted Sho, with starry eyes. "You have the **actual** Dark Magician Girl?! That's so cool!" he swooned.

"Hold on a minute." said Misawa, bringing everyone's attention on him. "How do you have the Dark Magician Girl, when I remember the King of Games, having the only copy of the card?"

"That's a valid point, actually. Care to enlighten us?" asked Asuka.

"I thought the same, until a couple of days back. Apparently, Pegasus-chan has a personal collection, where he keeps a copy of all rare cards. I'll leave it at that." Shin said with a grin, after which he started leaving. "Actually, hold on a sec." he said, as he turned back around. Walking back to Sho, he asked

"Do you still have that letter Sho?" Shin asked his shorter companion.

"Huh? O-Oh yeah, I think I do..." Sho answered, while searching into jacket. "Here..." he said, while bringing out the letter, only to stop midway "Wait a second, you're going to show it to Asuka-san aren't you?!" he shouted at Shin, only to realize he was gone.

"Take a look at this Asuka-chan." Sho turned around, only to see Shin handing Asuka the love letter from earlier.

"Shin-kun! I told you to stop doing that!...If only I didn't let you see that letter..." Sho said quietly.

"If I hadn't seen that letter, Sho, you would've blindly followed it's instruction on a one way trip to expulsion." Shin countered sternly, shocking Sho.

"Wait, expulsion?!" he asked shocked.

"He's right." said Asuka, having finished reading the letter. "If you followed this letter, you would've been not only trespassing, but you would've most likely been accused of perving on the girls, as you would've arrived when the girls were showering. It's a good thing Shin-kun saw it, other wise you would've been in some serious trouble."

"And presenting this fake love letter wouldn't have helped you either, as it was originally meant for Judai." said Shin. At this, Judai perked up.

"Wait, that was meant for me? Why?" he asked confused

"Most likely someone's attempt to set you up, Number 1-kun." concluded Misawa, with Shin giving an approving nod.

"But why would someone try to set me up?" Judai asked

"After the last two days and that little joke in class, I have a couple of people in mind. Manjoume and Chronos, being at the top of that list." Shin said, surprising the others.

"Manjoume-kun and professor Chronos?" Asuka asked. Shin only giving a nod. "But why? I know Manjoume-kun can be a handful sometime, but I don't think he would go to such lengths, just to get someone expelled."

"And a professor trying to expel a student on purpose, isn't very professional. Not to mention he'd be putting his own career on the line if he got caught." rationalized Misawa.

"There's no conclusive evidence yet. So I'm not pointing at anyone." Shin said. Before he raised a finger "But, I do have a way, to try and lure the culprit out." he said with a smirk.

 **-GX-**

""Ahh~/ **Ahh~** " **"** Shin and his Partner, Dark Magician Girl, sighed in content, soaking in the bathhouse's hot water. After discussing the plan, everyone went on their merry way. Asuka and Misawa went back to their dorms, while Judai and Sho decided to just hang around the cliffside by their dorm. As for Shin…

He decided to make good on his promise and went to the bathhouse, his Partner in tow.

Speaking of, she was currently splashing about in the water, nothing but a loose towel covering her form. Fortunately, Shin was no longer tired from his lack of sleep, so it didn't really get to him. Right now, he was just leaning against the rocks forming the hot springs, a wet towel on his head and around his hips, his arms resting on the actual edge of the hot spring.

" **Ahh~ This water feels so nice~"** Dark Magician Girl breathed out, currently floating on her back in the water.

"I didn't know spirits could actually feel the temperature of the water." Shin remarked, opening his left eye, that now looked, considerably better.

Taking Emi's advice, Shin poured a couple of drops in his eyes before going to the bathhouse. That coupled with Shin's relative fast healing, his eyes had mostly healed already, a couple of red veins connecting to his iris being the only mark remaining.

" **Most can't. Then again, I'm not most~"** she replied **"Powerful spirits can use that power to form a relatively solid body. Of course, it doesn't last forever, but this body should last for an hour or so. Want to touch and see just how real it is~"** she teased. Shin only chuckled and replied in a similar fashion.

"If I did that, we would have to get cleaned up again. It's too much of a hassle. I'll just stay here and enjoy. It helps ease my back." he said, slowly sinking into the water.

" **Does 'that' still hurt?"** his Partner asked in concern. Shin quickly waving her concerns off.

"No it doesn't. Stings from time to time, but that wasn't what I meant. I accidentally took a tumble in class. That's all."

" **You tripped and fell down?"** she asked surprised.

"No, I slipped off of a wall and took a head first dive towards the ground from around 20 feet high." he said simply.

" **And you're sure you're fine?"** she asked with a raised eyebrow. Shin just grinned let his head fall back, deciding to completely let the water soak in. Seeing this, Dark Magician Girl decided to follow his example and swam towards him, leaning her back on his chest and falling asleep.

' _I have to ask her how she does this. Could spare me so much trouble...'_ he thought, whilst loking at his partners sleeping face. Glancing at the clock, he smirked _'It's about time. I'm gonna let her sleep a little longer, then I have to get going, so I can do my part of the plan.'_ he thought, slightly adjusting his Partner in his lap, so she could sleep more comfortably. It worked, as she cuddled closer to him with a small smile Then, he decided to soak himself in the hot water some more.

In the Slifer Dorm…

"It's getting late Sho. You should take a bath before...huh?" Judai said, drying his hair with a towel, before noticing his short friend isn't there.

"Sho ain't here." came a voice from the top bunk.

"What do you mean Hayato?" Judai asked his koala looking friend.

"What do **I** mean? I thought you two went to the bathhouse together." Hayato said.

"No, we didn't..." Judai answered, before looking at the clock, when it dawned on him. _'Oh yeah, that plan. So it's started huh? Then I just have to wait for that message...'_ he thought, before he finished drying his hair. "Well, wherever he is, he'll come back soon."

"Yeah..." Hayato said, whilst relaxing in his bed.

At the lake…

"Here I come, Asuka-san~" sang Sho, who was happily rowing the boat. _'I hope that's enough. Why do I have to be the bait?'_ he thought, trying to look as unsuspecting as possible.

At the gates to the Girls Dorm…

A dark figure cut through the lock of the gate. Quickly jumping from bush to bush, the figure made it's way to the back of the girls bathhouse. From the bathhouse, a couple voices could be heard

" _I'm so jealous of your awesome figure, Asuka-san~"_

" _S-Stop staring Junko...It's embarrassing..."_ came the voice of Asuka-chan

" _And looks how much your boobs grew, Momoe~"_ said the newly named Junko

" _Mouu~ Where do you think you're touching Junko-san!?" cried Momoe._

"Hohoho~ This is exactly behind the girls bathhouse!" sang the dark figure, being revealed as Chronos. "I can already see that drop out boy, blindly walking here, unbeknownst to that fact! And if I can get a picture...then that will be irrefutable proof that the drop out boy is a pervert that's peeping on the girls when they're bathing!" Chronos grinned, a camera at the ready. "And with that, he'll be expelled!-" he said excitedly, before his face fell into a frown. "Maybe that way I can get the bitter taste Signore Kenji left in my mouth…" he said bitterly, remembering how Kenji was just expelled for cheating.

It was at this time, that Sho reached land. So, getting out of his boat, he quickly went on his way to the back of the girls dorm. ' _This better work Shin-kun...or else I might really get expelled...'_ Sho thought nervously, doing his best to put up a happy and unsuspecting front.

In the girls bathhouse…

"Anyway, looks like none of the new freshmen are any good..." whined Junko, a girl with brown hair and gray eyes. "Especially that Judai kid! He's noisy, crass and cocky! Right Asuka-san?" she asked Asuka, who was just relaxing in the bath.

"I don't really care about that. I just find him slightly interesting is all." she answered nonchalantly.

"But what about that Shin kid?" Momoe brought up.

"Yeah, you two seem kinda close, if you ask me..." Junko said with a slight teasing tone. Asuka, wasn't affected however.

"Shin-kun is also interesting. And he just happened to catch my attention more than Judai. And he seems to be more down to earth than the rest of the people here..." she said, noticing the clock, soon after getting out of the bath.

"Asuka-san?" Junko asked

"There is that Daichi Misawa that's pretty good looking, isn't he?" said Momoe

Outside…

" _O sole mio...o sole mio...o sole mio..."_ Chronos chanted silently, as he was waiting for Judai to appear. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

"So he's finally arrived… better enjoy your last moments on this is island, drop out boy…!" Chronos thought, as he got his camera ready.

"It should be around here..." however, it wasn't Judai that he saw…

"What is this?! Why is it Signore Marufuji?!" he shouted in surprise, jumping out of his hiding spot.

"Who's there?" said a random Obelisk girl, that came out of the bathhouse.

"Oh no!" Chronos panicked, as he noticed more girls coming out.

"A peeping Tom!" a girl screamed

"Pervert!" shouted more girls in unison, scaring Chronos even further.

"Y-you can't be serious! If this keep up, I'll be the one who get's expelled!" Chronos panicked, covering his face, soon after jumping into the water to make his escape. What he didn't know, was the it wasn't him, that the girls were calling a pervert.

Before he knew it, poor Sho was swarmed by girls. And not in a good way.

"Ow ow ow...H-Hey what gives?!" he shouted in surprise, as he found himself held down by two girls. Looking up, he saw Junko and Momoe glaring at him, their forms covered by towels.

"Nowhere left to run, pervert!" said Junko

' _Your plan better work, Shin-kuuunn!'_ Sho shouted in his mind.

Inside the Obelisk Girl Dorm, stood a now dressed Junko and Momoe, along with Asuka in her uniform and poor Sho on his knees, with his hands tied up.

"A love letter from Asuka-san?" asked Junko surprised.

"Yes, right?" he said winking at Asuka, a small bead of sweat on his cheek.

' _You should start practicing your poker face, Sho-kun...'_ thought Asuka, her own poker face not budging.

"What a dope. There's no way Asuka-san, the Queen of Obelisk would ever write a love letter to a Slifer like you." said Junko, while staring poor Sho down.

"But it's true! It said 'I'll be waiting behind the girls' dorm'. Here, look!" he said, taking the letter out from his pocket. Junko snatched the letter, quickly glancing at it, before giving to Asuka.

Asuka herself, only pretended to read it, as she already did that a while back. But, playing her part, she acted like she hadn't seen that paper before.

"I wouldn't write such vulgar words." she said.

"It seems the men from Slifer Red don't even know _that_." remarked Momoe.

"Huh? The in the world would.." Sho said, feigning surprise

"Wait a second. This letter is addressed to Judai Yuki." said Junko in surprise.

"What?! N-No way..!" Sho exclaimed, before Junko showed him the paper "..Yes, way..." he said dejectedly.

"What is going on down there?" said Emi, as she came out of her room, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Also surprising the four students. Thinking quickly, Asuka gestured to Junko and Momoe, the two quickly sitting on Sho, hiding him.

"Nothings wrong! We were just having normal banter! Hehe~" said Asuka, slightly nervous.

"Well, alright then. Be sure to go to bed on time, however. It's getting late already." Emi said, before going back into her room.

Sighing in relief, the three girls turned to Sho.

"I say we report him." suggested Junko

"Peeping is as perverted as it get's." Momoe agreed

"I said I didn't peep!" Sho began panicking for real.

"I have a different plan in mind." Asuka said, making Sho silently sigh in relief. "Someone tried to call Judai out here under my name, to try to frame him as a pervert. I want to see just how far Judai is willing to go, to save his friend. I wanted to do battle with him sooner or later, anyway." she said with smirk. _'Time to put your plan in motion, Shin-kun. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to duel Judai as well...'_

In Slifer Red…

Judai was currently playing games on his console, before his PDA got a message. Setting his game aside, Judai clicked on the message.

' _We have Sho Marufuji. If you want him back, come to the girls dorm.'_

"Huh..." Judai said. _'Then that's my cue to go out there.'_ he thought, promptly standing up and leaving.

 **-GX-**

In the lake, was a floating bamboo stick. Soon enough, Chronos emerged from under the bamboo stick.

"That was certainly unexpected. Darn it all!" Chronos said with dissatisfaction. However, upon hearing the rowing of a boat, he noticed Judai making his way to the girls dorm. "Why you are certainly fashionably late…!" he said, before dunking into the water, as to not get spotted. Unbeknownst to him, it was too late.

" **Hehe~ Wait until Shi-chan hears about this~"** giggled a voice, before disappearing.

Reaching the docks, Judai noticed Asuka, Junko and Momoe keeping Sho hostage. _'They're certainly making this as realistic as possible.'_ he thought, before playin his own role.

"What's going on Sho?"

"We found your friend here peeping on the girls as they were bathing!" exclaimed Junko.

"What'd you say?" asked Judai 'surprised'.

"I said I didn't peep!"

"If the school finds out, he'll certainly be expelled." remarked Momoe.

"So how about it?" asked Asuka "Are you ready to duel for his freedom?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

' _Here we go…!'_ "Sure, I'll take you on!" Judai said excitedly, activating his duel disk.

"Then here we go!" Asuka said, as she activated her duel disk as well.

""DUEL!""

 **Asuka** 4000 LP

 **Judai** 4000 LP

"I'll go first! I draw!" Asuka declared, as she drew her card. "I'll start things off, by summoning Etoile Cyber in ATK mode!" she announced, as the monster elegantly appeared on the water.

Etoile Cyber -LV4- (1400/1600)

"I set one card face down and end my turn!" she said.

"Then it's my turn! I draw!" Judai shouted, as he drew his card. "And I'll start things off by summoning Elemental HERO Sparkman in ATK mode!" he said, as the Hero monster emerged from a blast of electricity.

Elemental HERO Sparkman -LV4- (1600/1400)

"Now! Sparkman, attack Etoile Cyber!" he declared, as the Hero charged a blast of electricity, launching it towards Asuka's monster.

"I activate my Trap! Double Passe!" Asuka said, as the card flipped up. "Your attack, now turns into a direct attack!" she declared, as the blast missed her monster and hit her.

 **Asuka** 2400 LP

"Now, I activate Double Passes' second effect! Once you've made a direct attack on me, I can return the favor with a direct attack of my own! And when Etoile Cyber attacks directly, she gains and extra 500 ATK!"

Etoile Cyber (1700/1600)

Etoile Cyber soon made her way to Judai, delivering a powerful kick to his chest.

 **Judai** 2300 LP

It was at around this time, that Chronos made his way back to the surface and was watching the duel.

"Yes! When that drop out boy loses, he'll get expelled. My plan can still succeed!" he thought happily.

Unbeknownst to him, however, another person was swimming in the lake. Even worse, they had water proof camera in their hands and it's sight was pointed on Chronos.

"Hehe~ Looks like I was right, yet again~" sang Shin, as he was floating on the water surface, having taken incriminatory photos of Chronos. "Good thing Misawa-chan was kind enough to give me this camera for out plan~" The plan being, let the event's flow as they would have, if Shin wasn't there. Use Sho as a bait, bring Judai later, catch the culprit when they're not expecting it. So far, the plan worked perfectly.

"Then again, I didn't expect Asuka and her friends to threaten those two with expulsion. But, it's some motivation as well." he remarked to himself.

Having taken a look at the pictures, Shin decided to swim back to the girls' dorm, to wait for Asuka. As he was swimming, his Partner appeared, floating above him.

"Thanks for telling me where Chronos was, by the way." he thanked his partner.

" **Don't worry. I always like helping you. Especially when it ends up in black mail material for someone~"** she sang, making Shin sweatdrop.

"Well anyway~ Time to go and meet with Asuka-chan~" he said, as he swam faster.

A couple minutes passed by, and Shin reached land. He even managed to witness the end of the duel.

"Now, Thunder Giant! Attack her with **Voltic Thunder!** " Judai declared, as the giant launched a super charged energy ball at Asuka.

 **Asuka** 0 LP

 **WINNER JUDAI**

"Heh. So Judai can take on Obelisks as well, eh?" Shin grinned. "When it's time for that three way duel, I know we're going to have a lot of fun~"

"I'll take Sho with me, as promised." Judai said, to which Asuka only nodded.

Soon, Judai and Sho rowed the boat away, disappearing into the distance. Upon their arrival, Asuka and her friends were met by an unusual sight. A sight that made the blush.

"Looks like the plan worked, eh Asuka-chan?" asked Shin, currently in nothing more than swimming trunks and a towel on his shoulders. "Gotta say, I didn't expect you to threaten them with expulsion."

"W-Well I had to make it believable, didn't I?" she asked, after snapping out of her staring. This also snapped Junko and Momoe out of their staring as well.

"Wait! You knew about this, Asuka-san?!" Junko asked surprised. Momoe nodding as well.

"Yes, I did. Thanks to Shin-kun showing me the letter a while ago. He devised a plan, to lure the real culprit out. So?" she said, turning to Shin. "Did you find out who it was?"

Shin promptly grinned and pulled out a camera.

"Sure did~ But, I can't tell you who it is just yet. If this incident was anything to go by, then their going to try something again. This will be blackmail material when that happens~" he said with a mischievous grin.

"Well, if that's what you think it's best, then I'll hold you to it." Asuka said with a smile. A smile which surprised her female friends.

' _She doesn't smile like that to just anyone...Is she…?'_ Junko thought.

"Well, it's getting late~" Shin said while stretching "I'm going to go hit the sack. See you later Asuka-chan~" she told Asuka, before turning and smiling towards her friends too "I'll see you two later too~" he said, before turning around and leaving.

The girls, slightly blushed and nodded.

"Alright, then. See you tomorrow, Shin-kun. Sweet dreams." Asuka said, while turning to leave. Shin raising a thumbs up in response.

However, when he did, he also revealed something else.

The marking of a scar, that went down his back from his shoulder, could barely been seen.

And Asuka saw just the gist of it. However, Shin was gone, before she could ask. So, deciding to leave it for another time, she and her friends left as well.

 **And that's a wrap!**

 **Sorry for taking so long. Last week was hectic, with preparing for our prom, then attending said prom, THEN going out in the city with out class one last time. So yeah, I basically missed around two full days of writing. That's why it took so long. But hey! It's here now!**

 **Also, sorry if it seemed a little rushed at the end. That's because it kinda is. I promise I'll make it better next time.**

 **But we found out some things about Shin's past. And his Partner has been revealed too. (as if it wasn't obvious)**

 **And this chapter was more or less an inside look in Shin's daily life. I will make some more chapters like this one, where I'll reveal some more of Shin's past, so look forward to that!**

 **And sorry for not responding to the review this time. I saw them don't worry. It's just that answering them would take too long and I'm already behind schedule.**

 **So with that said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and until next chapter~**

 **P.S. sorry for grammar mistakes and/or continuity mistakes. As I said, written in kind of a hurry.**

 **Update -29.06.2017- Fixed an error in the final part of Shin's duel against Kenji. Thanks to ClyxicRyse for pointing it out~**


	5. Chapter 4

**ClyxicRyse(1): Thanks for pointing out the mistake. As I said in the edit, I completely forgot that Toon World wasn't a field spell. Kinda stupid, since I used the Toon deck myself when I was small.**

 **Royal Twin Fangs: Good thing it's at least 'okay'. I honestly thought it would be worse, since it was written in a rush.**

 **ClyxicRyse(2): Thank you, for realizing! Apparently some people never heard of 'backstory', or just plain assume, that whatever they *think* it's going to happen, will happen.**

 **Sabandija: I will not bother explaining myself, when ClyxicRyse was kind enough to put the explanation out for EVERYONE to see. It's the review right under yours, in case you haven't f-ing noticed.**

 **DeMoDusty: Thank God there are people like you, who have common sense. Thank you for leaving an extra explanation, for the assuming people to see. Maybe now, they won't overlook it~**

 **So, with those reviews out of the way, here's the chapter~**

Chapter 4 Emergence of Dark & V-Z Combo

Around midnight, a person was casually strolling through the forest surrounding the academy. They were wearing a black, long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up and pair of jeans, along with Slifer Red boots. A Slifer jacket hung loosely over their shoulders, like a cape of sorts.

The moon was the only source of light, as it illuminated their path. Also revealing familiar golden bangs, framing the persons face.

As they were silently walking through the forest, a small gust of wind blew by, making the person stop.

"Hmm..." they softly hummed, before turning and walking in a different direction. The same direction, the gust of wind blew in.

The forest, seemed deprived of life. No owl or bats to be heard and no rustling of leaves. Even the persons steps, could barely be heard. The occasional twig, snapping under the persons feet, was the only sound that would be heard. Some would be scared of such silence, especially in the dead of night while inside a dark forest. However, that didn't seem to bother the person. The looked completely calm.

Following the occasional gust of wind, the person soon made it to their destination. Inside a small clearing in the forest, was a building.

It was a medium sized building. However, it looked as if it had seen better days. The roof had lost it's original color, and the outer walls looked worn down as well. One could only imagine what the inside looked like.

But that wasn't what brought the person here. It was something else. The person felt something looming over the building.

"Darkness..." they said monotonously. Their voice, was cold and deep. Though slightly familiar.

As they raised their head, they lightly frowned. Also revealing sharp, gleaming red eyes hidden underneath the golden bangs.

As the person walked forward towards the building, they noticed a sign that read 'Keep Out' hanging from the gate walls. Looking at the gate, the person noticed that it, too, had most likely seen better days. The only thing keeping someone from entering, was the chain, from which the sign hung.

As they were about to step over the chain, to enter the building, they heard rustling. Coupled with multiple sounds of footsteps. Thinking quickly, the person used the left side of the concrete gate as a ledge and jumped on top of the right side. Running on top of the metal bars of the gate, they jumped onto a branch that hung low from a tree in the vicinity of the gate. Just in time, as a couple of flashlights illuminated the gate.

It was the academy's Ethics Committee. Their job, was to make sure students didn't break rules or disrupt the order within the academy. And that includes the current building, as going in it, is considered trespassing.

"Huh? I am certain I saw something moving about around here..." said one of the guards.

"You must've been seeing things." another waved his concerns off.

The head Chief of the Committee, however, kept looking around. Following the line of the gate, thinking of it as an escape for a possible student or trespasser, she shone her light onto the tree the red eyed individual was hiding.

...Was.

As the tree was illuminated, no one was to be seen. Seeing this, she sighed and turned to the squad.

"A false alarm. Probably some animal wondering through. Let's go back." she ordered, after which she turned tail and began walking away. The rest of the Committee followed after.

Soon after they left, when the clearing was shrouded in darkness again, a pair of gleaming red eyes, opened up from behind the tree, the persons form becoming visible once again, as if they had shrouded themselves in shadows before.

Peeking from behind the tree, they made sure no one was around, before jumping back onto the ground, landing as stealthily as possible. Looking back to where the Ethics Committee left, the person scoffed.

"Humph. You are no match, for Millennium Magic." they said blankly. Looking back towards the abandoned building, they sighed.

"Another time..." and with that, they went back to their dorm.

Soon, the person made it out of the forest. As they were walking, they decided to take a final detour. Going down the cliff and making it to the port, they went to the pier, where the lighthouse was and sat down. Breathing in the sea air, they let the sound of waves calm them.

Until, the noise of luggage dropping on the ground was heard from behind them. And soon, an obnoxious voice was heard.

"YOU!" the voice shouted angrily. Turning their head, the person merely glanced at the owner of the obnoxious voice.

The owner of the voice, was, of course, Kenji. His luggage standing at his feet.

And he did not look pleased. At all.

"This is all your fault, you bastard! Because of you, I was expelled and am now forced to wait out here in the cold, until the next boat arrives!" he shouted enraged. The person, stared blankly, before looking back at the ocean, further enraging Kenji. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, Slifer scum!"

"Quiet." the person said, their voice cold and unforgiving, effectively shutting Kenji up, for the moment. "You cheated, and got what you deserved. Be grateful expulsion, is the only punishment you're facing."

"And the fact, that not only has my name been tarnished, but every one of my friends calls me a cheater and a coward now?! What about that?!" Kenji shouted furiously. The person didn't even bat an eye and kept looking towards the moon. "Answer me, Shin!" he shouted, finally getting a reaction out of the now revealed Shin. It wasn't a pleasant reaction, however.

"That was your own doing." Shin said, his voice still unforgiving. "You are arrogant, prideful and a cheater to boot. Cheaters, are scum. If you can not even obey the simple rules that Duel Academia has, then you do not deserve to be here." he said with finality.

"Grr...then if that's how it is..."Kenji said, his brown hair covering his eyes. Lifting his head, Kenji now bore an expression of absolute hatred. And his eyes had steeled themselves to a dark path. "If that is how it is, then I will at least go out with a bang. I will make sure you pay for what you did to me. This academy, was supposed to be my path to a grand life! And since you took that away from me...I will have your life as compensation!" Kenji shouted, hellbent on making Shin pay.

"Your going to kill me?" Shin asked simply, beginning to stand up.

"Oh, I'm not gonna kill ya..." Kenji began darkly "...I'm just gonna beat you until you can't breathe no more!" he finished with a slasher grin, readying to pound Shin into the ground. Literally. "How good that we are at the lighthouse too. No one will find your body and I can leave your fate to the sea. That way, it can be the waves, crushing you against the rocks, or the sea creatures eating you whole, that actually do you in. And I will get away scot-free!"

Turning to Kenji, Shin held his head dipped down, his hair hiding his eyes and his medallion, gaining a soft glow.

"If you have truly steeled yourself to do this, then let's play a final game." he said, a malicious grin making his way onto Shin's face. However, it wasn't visible to Kenji.

"Time for games is up, scum! Prepare to meet your end!" Kenji yelled and went for Shin. However, Shin simply twisted his upper body, dodging Kenji's wild swing, letting him stumble forward, only for the world in front of him to turn completely black.

"It's game time." came Shin's ominous voice.

"Huh-?! W-What the?!" said Kenji, before realizing that he was now suspended on the lighthouse's roof. A rope, tied to his waist, being the only thing keeping him from falling to his death.

"Up here, Kenji-san." came Shin's condescending voice. Looking up, Kenji saw Shin standing atop of the lighthouse's roof, his grin and glowing red eyes on full display. However, his eyes, no longer displayed the warmth from before. Now, they were cold and ruthless. His grin only making it that more evident. His hair had now spiked up slightly, appearing more wild as well. His jacket, was no longer on his shoulders and around his waist, a rope was tied as well.

"What the hell did you do, slime?!" Kenji shouted. Shin, however, only chuckled.

"I told you we were going to play a game, didn't I?" was Shin's response. His grin, then grew wider. "What I didn't tell you, however, was exactly what KIND of game we'll be playing…This isn't your normal game" he said, grinning excitedly, his medallion glowing.

.

.

.

.

.

"It's a Game of Darkness."

"Stop screwing around!" Kenji shouted, not buying it for a second. "You're rambling about the same nonsense that headmaster of yours does. All of that 'Games of Darkness' crap, is nothing but make belief!"

"Is that so? Then there's nothing to fear, right?" Shin asked. "Here are the Rules to our little game." Shin said, jumping and sliding down the roof, at the same time, spreading a deck of cards onto the roof's surface. Reaching the end, the rope straightened, bringing Shin and Kenji on equal level. "They are quite simple, actually. We each take turns in flipping over these cards. We go up by the value on the card and the other, goes down. The one who makes it to the top, wins. Simple enough for you?" Shin grinned.

"Like hell am I playing games with you!" Kenji scoffed. "Now that were on the same level, I can just climb over to you and rip your rope so you fall to your death!" Kenji said, attempting to do just that, before being stopped by what he assumed was his gut feeling, telling him that was a bad idea.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. That would be breaking the Rules. And you don't want to break the Rules in this game." Shin warned. "Besides, the winner of this game can decide what to do with the loser's rope. So if you win, you are free to rip my rope and let me fall to my death. It would even be passed off as suicide." Shin said, his grin ever present.

Hearing this, made Kenji rethink things. It would be in his favor. All he needed to do, was get the cards and make it to the top. There, he could let Shin fall to his death, without getting his hands dirty. Coming to this realization, he grinned.

"Fine then! I'll entertain you! It will be your last game though!" he said confidently. Seeing this, Shin grinned. Kenji would soon regret that decision.

"You can go first." Shin said. Kenji didn't hesitate and flipped the card.

"10 of Spades!" Kenji said, climbing up ten steps, lowering Shin the same amount.

"Jack of Spades." Shin grinned, as he presented the card, then climbed up.

"2 of Hearts! Looks like I'm catching up!" Kenji said, while bringing the two closer to the original equal standing.

"Is that so? Queen of Diamond." Shin grinned, shocking Kenji. Climbing up, he let Kenji go back down.

"3 of Club!" Kenji stated.

"9 of Club." Shin grinned.

It went so on for a little while. Kenji catching up, only for Shin to put him back in place, even lower than before. Before he knew it, Kenji was at the bottom of the roof, while Shin was merely one step away from victory. And Kenji was now getting desperate.

"What's wrong, Kenji-san? Are you afraid I'll win?" Shin asked amused. This made Kenji scowl.

"Shut up, scum! This next card will turn things around!" he shouted, as he reached for the card. Seeing this, Shin grinned wildly.

"You know, there's usually a pattern to unused Decks like this one. At the top, is usually a card that is never used." he grinned "That card is..."

"J-Joker…!" Kenji said in disbelief, at the card he flipped. Shin just kept his grin.

"Too bad, Kenji-san. Joker is a miss." he said, making Kenji pale.

' _No! I will not be defeated again by this scum! Especially not a_ _t a_ _stupid game like this!'_ Kenji thought, determined to make Shin lose, unknowingly sealing his fate.

"And you know what card is usually at the bottom of the deck?" Shin asked, while picking up his next card, presenting it to Kenji.

Ace of Spades

"I win, Kenji-san." Shin grinned triumphantly. However, Kenji wouldn't have any of that.

"Like hell!" he snapped, starting to climb back up.

"Breaking the Rules again, Kenji-san? Something terrible will happen, if you do that you know?" Shin asked amused. Kenji didn't answer however. He only swung for Shin, after he reached the top. Shin evaded, but in doing so, he also fell off from where he was standing, making Kenji grin.

"I knew you wouldn't obey the rules." Shin stated with a smirk.

"Now, die!" Kenji announced, grabbing Shin's rope and ripping it, making Shin fall down.

Kenji, began to laugh.

"Hahaha! How is that?! Now I won and you're dead! I finally won!" he declared, after reaching the top and grabbing the peak of the roof.

" **The Doors of Darkness have opened** " Shin's voice was heard.

"Huh?" looking around, Kenji couldn't see Shin. What he did see, however, was that something was stuck to the perch he was holding on to.

It was the Joker card.

Before he could realize it, Kenji's perch snapped, in turn making Kenji fall off the roof and plummet towards the ground. On his way down, he briefly noticed Shin, safely hanging from the roof's ledge.

"The Games of Darkness show a person's true colors. And the punishment for breaking the Rules is dealt accordingly. You will be swallowed by your own desire for vengeance. This will be your **Punishment Game.** " Shin explained in a calm voice, as Kenji fell past him.

"What?!" Kenji despaired, as he was falling down. _'Wait a second, I'll be fine. I will just fall in the water and get wet. I can teach that punk a lesson after!'_ Kenji grinned, while looking at the water below.

Too bad Fate had other plans for him.

From the water, multiple tentacle-like monsters emerged and lunged for Kenji, who could only scream in terror, before being swallowed up by the creatures.

"AAAARGHHH!" came Kenji's scream, as he fell on the floor from his earlier stumble. "HELP ME! SOMEONE HELP!" he screamed, as he rolled on the ground, a terrified expression on his face.

Watching him with a blank expression, was Shin, his medallion still glowing.

"You reap what you sow." he spat coldly. "That, was punishment for not correcting your wrong ways..." he started, as he made his way towards the thrashing former student "And this…!" Shin said, whilst grabbing the top of Kenji's head, making the terrified boy look into Shin's red eyes, his terror growing even bigger. "..Is to make sure you can start anew. Until you let go of your hearts darkness, you'll be forced to put your shattered mind back together, while constantly being tormented by your own desire for vengeance, forever! **MIND CRUSH!** " Shin declared, his medallion glowing a bright golden light in response, his golden bangs parting, revealing the Eye of Wdjat glowing on Shin's forehead.

Kenji heard the loud THUMP of his own heart, soon after followed by the sounds of shattering glass. He then lost consciousness, his scared expression still present.

Seeing Kenji had stopped thrashing about, Shin let go of his head, letting Kenji fall on his face. Shin's bangs then fell back into place, the Eye of Wdjat on his forehead disappeared and so did the medallion's glow.

Shin then dragged the unconscious Kenji back to his luggage, carelessly dropping him over them and leaving.

Soon enough, the Ethics Committee arrived, after hearing Kenji's screams. They noticed Kenji lying on his luggage, further inspection showing that he was knocked out cold. But his scared expression, slightly unnerved the Committee.

"What the hell happened, for him to lose consciousness like this…?" asked one of the guards.

"I don't know, but it's our job to try to find out! Scatter and search every inch of the port! We'll catch the one responsible!" the Chief commanded.

"Yes, sir!" the guards replied and went to search.

Unbeknownst to them, Shin was watching from atop the cliff side. While his face was blank, he closed his eyes and chuckled softly, before turning and going to his room.

Upon entering, he was greeted by the frowning faces of Dark Magician Girl and Eatos. Some of Shin's other duel spirits also standing on the side.

" **I thought you promised to only take over Shi-chan's body when he needs it."**

"Whoever said I didn't do just that?" 'Shin' asked monotonously. He then went to the closet and hung up his jacket, then taking off his shoes. "If I hadn't happened to take a stroll to the lighthouse, then my weaker self, by extension me too, would've probably been suffocated to death by now." he said, surprising the spirits.

" **And why is that, exactly?"** asked Eatos cautiously.

"That guy my other self beat. Kenji. He had completely lost his mind and was ready to beat Shin to a bloody pulp and leave him to die in the sea." he said blankly, shocking Eatos and Dark Magician Girl.

" **To think that someone could fall into insanity over such a trivial matter..."** Eatos cringed.

" **And where is Kenji now?"** Dark Magician Girl asked.

"Who knows..." 'Shin' said cryptically. "He's most likely wondering around the shadows, constantly in fear of his own desire of vengeance devouring his soul and picking up pieces of his shattered mind along the way. Such is the fate, of those who break the Rules of the Games of Darkness." he said without a care.

" **You subjected an innocent student to the Games of Darkness?!"** Dark Magician Girl asked, horrified.

However, 'Shin' didn't seem to care, as he simply laid in bed, closing his eyes.

"He was ready to kill my other self. He should've been ready for his life to be taken as well. Besides, I didn't kill him. He will wake up as soon as he embraces his mistakes and let's go of the darkness in his heart." he explained calmly.

" **But subjecting a child to the Games of Darkness?! You are not any better than Marik's evil half! You're basically a villain!"** Dark Magician Girl snapped.

"I never said I wasn't." he said blankly. "Me and Dark Marik, are essentially the same. Both of us were born out of pain, and are the embodiment of our original's anger, hate and resentment. I, however, am also the embodiment of Shin's desire to serve rightful judgment to the wicked. My other self, is the embodiment of Shin's happiness, kindness and desire to always have fun. Because of it, he is too childish in nature, to pass judgment to the wicked and refuses to acknowledge them. Thus he always gives in to anger when he attempts to do so. That was the case with those two students, was it not?" he asked, to which the spirits reluctantly nodded. "My other half is the Hero. Rescuing those in need. I am the Vigilante. The one who punishes evil as **I** see fit." he declared monotonously.

"Also." he started, gaining the attention of the spirits. "I sense looming Shadows over this island. You'd do well to prepare. Enjoy the peace, for it won't last forever." he said, before his red eyes faded to the usual icy blue and Shin fell asleep.

Seeing the usual Shin is back, the spirits seemed to relax. They didn't make it obvious, but being around the other Shin, they were subjected to the intimidating presence he bears.

" **Was that the other presence, within Masters mind, that you told me about?"** Eatos asked the Dark Magician Girl. Said spirit sighing.

" **Yes. That was Shin's darker self. Born out of years of abuse and pain, that Shi-chan had to endure since birth, apparently. Even I don't know the full story, as Shi-chan's mind is too broken for him to remember and the other one won't say anything, as he doesn't usually come out."** she said sadly. Eatos felt sympathy for her.

" **But what was that...overwhelming presence?"** Eatos asked slightly on edge. Something Dark Magician Girl understood.

" **When Shin's mind split, I think so did the supernatural traits he was born with. Those were most likely the reason for the early abuse. Both seem to be traits that intimidate enemies and show that Shin is standing on an entirely different level, as a ruler. Take Shi-chan's first duel here, for example. When he became angry, he began exerting a certain pressure, that made his opponents feel fear of facing him. As for his other self, he seems to be constantly exerting an air of intimidation around him. His own will, being strong enough to overpower the weak willed. We can withstand it, because we aren't technically in the same realm at the moment. However, if it was someone with a weak will, they could even faint, simply from how overwhelming Shin's presence can be."** Dark Magician Girl explained.

" **I see."** Eatos nodded in understanding. Then, she turned to Shin's other Spirits.

Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV4, Kuriboh, and Red Eyes B. Chick.

" **Are you three alright?"** she asked. They each gave a positive response.

Horus nodded it's head, Red Eyes B. Chick squeaked happily and Kuriboh just flew around the room, landing on it's masters head. Seeing this, DMG and Eatos smiled.

" **I somehow feel like we're all just a big family."** Eatos remarked, when seeing Shin's two Dragons playing with each other and Kuriboh flying around the two female Spirits.

" **That's because we are!"** Dark Magician Girl said happily. **"At least to Shin, anyways. To him, all his cards are like family. That's why he's so sweet~"** she gushed, before jumping in bed with Shin. Something that made Eatos lightly sweatdrop.

" **Why do you always jump straight into bed with Master"** she asked. But Dark Magician Girl just winked with a smile. Seeing this, Eatos gained a small smile, before disappearing and going back to the Duel Monster Realm. The other Monsters beside Dark Magician Girl followed after.

In the morning…

" **Poke poke~"** Shin felt his cheek being poked again. **"Wake up Shi-chan~"** Dark Magician Girl sang in Shin's ear.

"Noo..." he whined. "I feel too tired...Wanna sleep some more..." he said, yet again burying his face in his pillow.

Yet again forgetting what his 'pillow' consists of…

" **I keep telling you, Shi-chan. You can't bury your face in those pillows anymore."** Dark Magician Girl giggled.

Realizing his predicament, Shin only raised his red face and stared blankly at his Partner. Who had a sly grin on her face.

"You...You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

" **If you mean, seeing you flustered every morning, then yes, I am enjoying this very much~"** his Partner sang.

Groaning, Shin went to his closet, preparing his clothes and towel, so he can take a nice warm shower, to clear his mind. But, there was something he was about to find out about, that would stop his plans.

" **Did I mention you're late?"** Dark Magician Girl said casually.

"I'm what?!" he asked, after quickly snapping his head back to her.

" **I mean, like, REALLY late. Around 30 minutes late. Also, I'm pretty sure you're supposed to be writing a test today."** she continued.

"And why didn't you wake me up earlier?!" he exclaimed, before frantically getting dressed.

" **Hey, I only found out like 10 minutes ago. Your friends came to try to wake you up but to no avail. Though it was funny when your friend, Judai, came by. He barged in here, ready to wake you up, only to quietly go back out the door when he saw the two of us~"** his Partner giggled. In turn making Shin get even more embarrassed.

"Crap, now I've gotta explain everything AND make it in time! Why does fate hate me?!"

" **Oh, don't be like that Shi-chan~ It's just that you're very fun to tease is all~"** she sang, before a gust of wind blew through the room, Shin disappearing along with it. Seeing this, his Partner was left blinking a couple of times. **"Huh. He would definitely make for a great Magician...if only he was a Duel Monster to begin with, it would've spared me so much trouble..."** she said with a faint blush. **"Oh well! This works too!...Now, I'm going back to bed~"** she said, immediately falling asleep smiling.

In the classroom.

"Unacceptable! You have been cramming for this test all night and now you're just dozing off through it? C'mon, Sho." Judai said, as he made it to class.

In the middle of the test. And his loud scolding, didn't sit right with some students.

"Shut it, drop out! We're writing a test over here! If you don't plan on taking the test, then get lost!" shouted Manjoume form his seat, making Judai turn towards him.

"Like hell! I came all this way!"

"Judai-kun." Daitokuji called, from his own desk. "Please come and get your own test. There is not that much time left."

"Right away, sir!" Judai replied, jogging down the stairs and grabbing the test. But then, Daitokuji asked him something.

"Judai-kun, do you happen to know where Shin-kun is, nya? I did not see him at all this morning, nya."

This, got the attention of a couple of students. Namely those who knew Shin.

' _He's right, I haven't seen Shin-kun either. I wonder why he's so late...'_ wondered Asuka.

' _Come on, Shin. I know you are a good duelist, but that doesn't matter if you get poor grades on tests.'_ thought Misawa.

' _I hope he can still make. I feel bad for leaving him asleep this morning, but he just wouldn't wake up…'_ thought Sho.

' _Heh! Let that Slifer oversleep!'_ smirked Manjoume. _'It will spare him the humiliation of losing against me. He's more skilled than the drop out boy, I'll give him that, but now that I've strengthened my own deck, he wouldn't stand a chance. And I can finally make him pay, for what he did to Torimaki and Mototani, as well as those moves he put on Tenjoin-kun!"_

Judai, only smiled sheepishly.

"I'm pretty sure he...had a rough night. Yeah." he said, remembering what he saw this morning "I tried to wake him up earlier, but I..." he said, searching for the right wordings "..couldn't." he finished, his sentence having a double meaning.

"Oh, is that so?" Daitokuji asked, to which Judai stiffly nodded. "Then I, guess he will just have to take the test another time…!" he said, before the doors opened, a blur going past his desk and picking a test sheet in the process. This, stunned the people present.

The blur, then flew up the stairs, making a few rounds upon reaching the top. Then, with the built up momentum, the blur flung itself on the wall, beginning to run on it, circling the classroom. Upon running three entire laps of the classroom on the walls, the blur jumped back on the floor at the top of the stairs, before jumping on the ceiling, using the back wall as a running ledge. He bolted from his current position, before gravity could affect him again, and running all the way to above Daitokuji's desk, where the blur…

Slipped.

In turn making it fall, around 20 feet, drilling the floor headfirst. Thus, bringing it's minute and a half show to an end.

"Oww...I need to stop doing that. For the floor's safety." the blur said, being revealed as Shin. And he was currently scribbling away on his test, completely unfazed.

Everyone, was left mouth agape. Not because he basically pulled an 'Exorcist' on steroids, nor because he fell head first on the floor, without so much as flinching. It was because he did all that...to take the test. They could not understand, why he had to do all of that, just to take the damn test, instead of just walking in the class like a normal person and write the test in silence, like a normal person.

Shin, isn't a normal person.

"Ah, there you are Shin-kun. Did you sleep well, nya?" Daitokuji asked, almost unfazed by what happened.

"Uh, yeah, I think." Shin answered, as he kept scribbling on his sheet. "I don't actually remember falling asleep, but I woke up in my bed, so I guess I was just too exhausted." he admitted casually.

"Well, that's good to hear." Daitokuji said with a smile. Then, he turned to Judai "Judai-kun, you should start on your own test as well. Only around 7 minutes remain." Daitokuji said, snapping everyone out of their stupor, so they returned to finishing their tests. Judai returned to his seat and began working on his test.

"Oh yeah." Shin said, flipping on his back and standing back up. Then, he walked over to Daitokuji and handed his test in. "I finished." he said simply, making everyone go wide eyed.

"He's got to be kidding!" a Ra exclaimed.

"Yeah! That fall must've damaged his brain or something!" reasoned an Obelisk.

"There's no way someone could be done in such a short amount of time, Slifer!" shouted Manjoume. "Either you just scribbled random answers, cheated or you're just bluffing!"

"No, he's truly finished." said Daitokuji, casually checking through the test sheet asnwers, making everyone do a double take. "And all questions are correct. Well done Shin-kun." he said with a smile. However, Shin, was now back at the top of the stairs, preparing to leave.

"Yeah, all well and good. Seriously though, if the lot of you need this much, to answer 20 questions about dueling, then you are in more need of help, then a fish on land. Now, 'scuse me while I go take a shower and wake up properly. Shin, isn't Shin, without his morning shower." and with that, he was out the door.

"Uuuhh...professor Daitokuji? Is it alright for him to just leave like that?" asked a student.

"Well, he finished the test, so there's technically no reason to keep him here, nya. And I think it would've been a little more awkward if he stayed, nya." Daitokuji said, while scratching the fur on his cat's back.

While she was finishing up her test, Asuka couldn't help but wonder, just how many more surprises Shin had in store.

' _How very complex you are, Shin-kun. First you are childish, then cold, then childish again and now this? I wonder what the real you is like...'_ she thought.

Misawa, was thinking along the same lines.

' _Amazing...I can now understand why you were recommended to join the academy...it is certainly a pleasant surprise. I have found a fine rival in you, Shin. At least one good rival...'_ he thought, before sweatdropping after seeing that Judai and Sho fell asleep.

"Hey, have you guys heard what happened this morning?" a student whispered to his friend, catching the attention of most other students. Also Daitokuji's attention.

"You can chit chat after the test, nya. You only have five minutes remaining."

Somewhere else…

Walking through the academy halls, was Shin.

' _Hmm...I wonder where it is...'_ Shin wondered, as he was searching for a specific shop. And soon enough, he found it.

Duel Academia's Card Shop.

Upon entering, he was greeted by a young lady in a pink shirt, wearing an apron with the card shop's logo on it.

"Hello, welcome to the Card Shop!" she greeted with a smile.

"Sup'?" Shin greeted back. Looking around, he noticed how spacious the card shop was. "This place looks pretty awesome." he said simply, making the girls smile widen.

"That's sweet of you to say~" she sang, before gaining a look of realization "Hey, aren't you that kid who beat and exposed an Obelisk for cheating? I think his name is Kenji?"

"Yeah, that's me? Why?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I just think it was cool. Not many Slifer students, can beat an Obelisk. Not to mention exposing him for cheating, too." she said.

"Well, he got what he deserved. Cheaters never win." he said blankly, looking in the basket the girl was standing at. He saw a lot of small packages. They looked similar to burger wrappings.

"Speaking of, did you see what happened this morning?" she asked curiously.

"I overslept and I came straight to class, so please, do enlighten me." he said with genuine curiosity. He didn't even remember going to bed, let alone whatever happened afterward.

"I heard the Ethics Committee found Kenji, unconscious at the port. They said something attacked Kenji, and knocked him straight into a coma. Whatever it was, must've been terrifying too, because apparently, his face was pale and he had a scared expression on his face. A helicopter landed on the island this morning, to transport him to a hospital on main land." the girl said, Shin being surprised at the news, but kept listening intently nonetheless. "What's most mysterious, is that no sign of injury was ever found. It's like, he just fell into a coma without explanation." she continued, without any idea of what she was on to…

Shin, was pretty shocked at the news. Just yesterday, he dueled the guy and nothing was wrong. And now, a mere day later, they find Kenji in a coma, for apparently no reason. He couldn't understand it. No matter how hated his cheating would've made him, he couldn't think of anyone, who would go that far. And they said he had no injuries, which made things that much more confusing.

"Is that so? Well, I hope they can at least help him..." he said, while looking down at the packages. "Say, what are these anyway?"

"Oh! These are sandwiches. Duel Academia has this sort of game. There are a bunch of random sandwiches in here and they're filled with all sorts of different fillings. The best, being the 'Golden Eggwich'. It's the tastiest sandwich of them all. Everyone likes it. The catch is, that there is only one Eggwich every day. And the one who draws it, is considered a Hero of sorts." the girl said happily. "So, do you want to test your luck?" she asked.

Shin thought for a moment. He could try drawing the Eggwich for two reasons. The first, he could wake up properly, if it was as good as they say. On the other, he could give it to someone else, and strengthen friendships. Shin, chose the latter, as he couldn't eat in the morning. His stomach just wouldn't accept food, early in the morning. But now the question is…

...Who will he give the Eggwich to?

' _I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it...'_ Shin thought, while rolling his sleeve up. "Sure, I'll give it a go. But, just for reference, what does it even look like?" he asked.

"Well, it wouldn't really help. That's the reason all the sandwiches are wrapped. It's supposed to be a surprise. But, from what I saw, it's just that. A golden sunny side egg, between two pieces of bread. It doesn't look like much, I know, but it's supposedly delicious." he said, dreaming of the Eggwich.

"So, basically this thing?" Shin said, observing the inside of the sandwich he just drew.

It was the Golden Eggwich!

"Yeah, like that..." she said, briefly glancing at the sandwich, before turning back to her dreaming…

...Only to snap back at the sandwich, upon realizing what it actually was.

"Wait, that's the Golden Eggwich!" she exclaimed surprised.

"What's with the shouting, Seiko?" an elderly woman said, after appearing from behind the counter.

"Someone just drew the Golden Eggwich, Tome-san!" the newly named Seiko, exclaimed happily, surprising Tome.

"Really? Who did it?" Tome asked. Seiko pointed towards Shin, who awkwardly stood there, Eggwich in hand and waved. Tome, waved back with a smile.

"Aren't you that boy, everyone was talking about yesterday?" Tome asked. Shin, just cringed.

' _So much for no excess popularity...crap.'_ Shin thought. "Hehe~ Yeah...that's me, I guess. Name's Shin, by the way. Pleasure to meet you two." Shin said with a small bow.

"Oh, there's no need for formalities. So, what brings you here?" Tome asked curiously.

"I figured there had to be a card shop around here somewhere. Duel Academia would've been boring, otherwise. Everyone having the same cards, the entire time, doesn't make for much fun. You know?" Shin said, while looking at the counter where the cards were.

"Speaking of cards, a new shipment is supposed to arrive in a little while." said Seiko, joining the conversation. This made Shin raise and eyebrow.

"A new shipment? What for?" he asked, surprising the two

"For the practical exam this afternoon. Surely you know about it." Tome said, surprising Shin.

"No one told me that! Now I've gotta hurry to take a shower AND get some new cards?! Why?! Why me, Luck?!" Shin panicked, before bolting out of the card shop, leaving Seiko and Tome in his ever present dust cloud.

"Well, he certainly is in a hurry." remarked Seiko, after waving the dust out of her face.

"Considering he had no idea about the practical exam, I'm not surprised. Now, I have to get something special..." Tome said, while going behind the counter to get 'something'.

Seiko, was left all alone with the sandwiches. Though soon, she too left, as she had to use the restroom.

Around two minutes later…

"Why am I running so much lately?!" exclaimed an exhausted Shin.

After bolting out of the card shop, Shin ran straight to his dorm, to get ready to shower. Thanks to a little magic from his Partner and medallion, he got himself a shower that was now in his room. One wouldn't know, as it was behind a hidden door in his closet. Awkward place for...ironic reasons. The best reasons~

As he finally made it to his dorm, Shin stopped to catch his breath. As he got back up, he noticed something in the port.

A boat had docked.

"That must be the shipment I was told about...Then, I guess I'll go get some new cards before I have a shower." Shin said, going down the cliff and headed to the port. As he was walking, he checked the time. "15:00 PM, huh? If there are two parts for the test, then there should be no classes, beside the written test. That gives me around one more hours to get ready. Alright!" he said, before sprinting towards the port…

...however, he stopped, when he heard something.

He heard a faint sobbing.

"Huh?" Shin tried to look around, but he just couldn't pick up the direction of which the sobbing came from. He tried listening carefully, but the sound of waves, didn't help. And when the waves did momentarily calm down, the sobbing was gone.

"Wonder what that was about…" Shin wondered out loud "I could swear I heard someone sobbing. But...it was weak. Timid. Like they were afraid to even cry..." he deduced, a little sad, due to the fact that he couldn't help, whoever was crying.

Looking back at the port, he saw that the boat was empty. He had missed the package.

"Oh, well. Not like I really needed new cards anyway. Got plenty already. Besides, I think I will duel using my secondary Deck. I need to start working on keeping it together when using it anyway..." he said, remembering his duel against the two Obelisk chumps.

Sometime later…

"Wake up you two." Misawa tried waking the two sleeping Slifer's. It didn't really go as he had hoped. "Come on already. Wake up! The test is already over!" he said loudly, finally waking Judai and Sho up. Seeing the test was gone, Sho gained teary eyes.

"All of that studying and I fell asleep..." he said depressingly.

"Don't worry Sho! It's the practical exam this afternoon, where it counts!" Judai said, trying to cheer his friend up. Then, he looked around and asked "Where is everyone? Misawa, do you know?"

"They all went to the card shop to get new cards for the practical exam." Misawa answered, surprising the two.

"Eh? But why all of them?" Sho asked.

Misawa opened his mouth to answer, however…

"A large shipment filled with rare cards docked a while ago. Everyone is trying to get their hands on those cards." called a new voice.

The three students then saw Shin in the doorway, looking at them with his signature grin.

"Are you serious?!" Judai exclaimed. "There are rare cards in stock?! Sho, let's go!" Judai said, before grabbing Sho and bolting out the door, hoping to get some of those packs.

All the while, Shin and Misawa were left standing alone, looking at the door.

"So..." Misawa started, bringing Shin's attention on him "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" Shin asked, with genuine confusion.

"The test! How did you manage to finish it so quickly?!" Misawa exclaimed in a shushed tone, so he wouldn't become too loud.

"This again?" Shin asked blankly. Seeing Misawa's determined face, Shin realized he wasn't walking out of this one. So, sighing, he responded. "I have photographic memory okay! That's all there is to it. I remember every single card I've seen, whether I want to or not. I can also visualize strategies and whatnot. So a test sheet, with literally 10 questions about cards and another 10 about duel puzzles, is a piece of cake. I'm surprised **you** didn't finish first. You ranked above me, after all." he said with a raised eyebrow.

"That's just it! I ranked above you at the entrance exams, when it looks like you could have easily been first. Why? Why did you settle for second place?" Misawa asked confused.

"I was bored." Shin said while yawning, making Misawa face fault. "I can't concentrate when I'm bored. My mind just keeps wondering to useless but amusing things."

"You truly are an enigma Shin..." Misawa said with a sigh.

"So, Misawa-chan, why aren't you going crazy about the new shipment?" Shin asked, regaining his childish side.

"Because my deck is fine as it is." he answered simply. "One card, could potentially ruin it's perfect balance. But, what about you? In your duel with Kenji, you said you enjoy playing around with cards and building decks. Do you not want some more cards to 'play' with?" Misawa asked curiously.

"Well, I **did** catch the boat when it docked, so I could've bought all the cards..." Shin said, surprising Misawa "but, I got...distracted and missed them. So, I decided to just use one of my two trusty decks." he finished, pointing to his two holsters.

"Two?" Misawa asked curiously. "Why do you need two decks?"

"So my opponent doesn't know what to expect~" Shin sang. "And because I just couldn't settle for one deck. The cards in my two decks, are my most treasured ones. So I couldn't just leave half of them in my trunk back home...wait a sec." Shin said, before his face paled and he fell to his knees.

"Shin?! You've gone pale in the face, are you alright?" Misawa asked startled.

Shin, then raised his fists in the air, and shouted to the very Heavens.

"I forgot my trunk back home!" he shouted with teary eyes. Making Misawa sweatdrop in the process.

"You are that sad, because you forgot some of your cards back home? Come on, Shin..."

"'Some cards' my ass! Over 10 thousand cards, Misawa! 10 Thousand!" Shin shouted childishly, making Misawa do a spit take.

"W-What do you mean 10 Thousand cards?! Where did you even get that may Duel Points?!" Misawa asked shocked. Shin, just slumped in place, his eyes briefly losing every bit of life in them.

"...training..." he said, devoid of life, something that startled Misawa.

"Shin? Are you alright?" he asked, but Shin just stood up and wordlessly left, leaving Misawa all to his lonesome self.

"I wonder what that was about..." Misawa said to himself, before leaving as well, going to prepare for the practical exam.

In the empty hallways…

"Ugh…" Shin groaned, whilst holding his head in his hands and leaning on the wall. His expression showed that he was in pain and his eyes had changed again. Only that his left eye was flickering between red and blue. "He...just **had** to spark one of Shin's memories...didn't he…!" Shin cringed, due to the pain his head was in. He remained like that for a while, until someone came upon him.

"Shin-kun?" Asuka said, as she rounded up the corner, snapping Shin's attention to her, his eyes changing back to blue and his headache receding. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing...just a headache. Thanks for the concern though, Asuka-chan." he answered, with a slightly forced smile. "What are you doing here Asuka-chan?"

"I was walking around for a bit. With everyone trying to buy some rare cards, the halls are quiet. Want to join me?" she asked with a small smile. Shin, immediately straightened up and nodded, his childish grin back.

"Of course! Let's go then, Asuka-chan!" Shin exclaimed happily, once again, taking Asuka's hand and leaving. Poor Asuka trying her best to stay on her feet and keep up.

Elsewhere…

"I can't believe someone bought all those rare cards, before they even got here!" exclaimed Torimaki as he, Mototani and Manjoume were walking around the academy's halls.

"Yeah! Talk about selfish, right Manjoume-san?" Mototani asked.

"Calm down. There's nothing to worry about. It's just a stupid monthly exam. Just because you don't have new cards, doesn't mean you have to get worried. There's no one who can beat me in Obelisk anyway." Manjoume said calmly.

"But what if your opponent, happened to be Yuki Judai?" asked a voice.

Looking to their right, they saw a shady looking individual standing on the staircase.

"What was that?" asked Manjoume.

"I'm asking, if you could beat Yuki Judai with your current deck?" the individual asked.

Upon closer look, Torimaki and Mototani recognized the individual...sorta.

"Hey, you're that guy who bought all the rare cards!"

"Yes and all of those cards are right..." he paused, as he grabbed his coat "..Here!" he said, flashing them the cards on the inside of his coat.

"Who are you anyway?" Mototani asked.

"Are you still clueless, as to who I am, Signore Manjoume?" asked the individual, before taking his disguise off, revealing himself to be Chronos.

"Professor Chronos?" Manjoume asked surprised.

"Yes, Signore Manjoume! It is I, Chronos! We must make sure that drop out boy learns his place here at the academy. If we don't act soon, it will be too late! Not to mention they're corrupting Signore Shin too fast! I want that boy to be in his place among the elites, but as long as that drop out boy is around, he'll really become part of the drop out squad!" Chronos exclaimed "That's why I want you, Signore Manjoume, to deal with the drop out boy."

"This deck was made to beat Shin, but it will work just as well on that drop out boy." Manjoume smirked, slightly surprising Chronos. "Only problem is, we're not in the same dorm. We can't duel." he continued.

"Don't worry about that. I can make arrangements, but tell me why you built a deck to defeat Signore Shin." Chronos stated.

"I wanted to get him back for the moves he put on Tenjoin-kun on the first day and for what he did to these two." he said, pointing at the two goons. Then, he realized what he said.

"What do you mean?" Chronos asked confused.

"Manjoume-san! I thought we weren't supposed to talk about that!" exclaimed Torimaki.

"What? Just tell me what happened already!" Chronos was losing patience. This made the two cave in.

"W-We dueled Shin in a three way duel..." Torimaki said, dejectedly

"And we got humiliated..."Mototani finished.

"Is that all?" Chronos said with a bored expression, shocking the three Obelisk students.

"What?!" they all exclaimed.

"The boy is on this island on recommendation from Seto Kaiba himself." Chronos admitted, further shocking the three "It's only natural that you two lost. Besides, I remember saying it yesterday, no ne? Signore Shin should've been in Obelisk Blue, but chose to be transferred to Slifer Red instead." he explained. "Now, going back to the matter at hand. Take these cards, Signore Manjoume and teach that drop out boy a lesson!" Chronos smirked evilly.

At the lighthouse…

It was around 40 minutes, before the start of the practical Exam. Now, at the lighthouse, Shin and Asuka were sitting on the pier, quietly listening to the calming sound of the waves.

"So..." Asuka decided to break the silence "...why do you always hold my hand, Shin-kun?" she deadpanned, looking at their, still, linked hands. However, Shin just grinned childishly.

"I told you! They're so very soft~ I like soft things~" he sang. "I remember always holding my mothers hands when I was small. It calmed me, but...I can't remember why anymore..." he said, looking at the waves.

"What do you mean?" Asuka asked confused. Shin continued to look at the waves, while answering.

"I just, can't remember. I remember minor things from when I was small, but after that...it's just blank. And when I **do** try to remember, I get a massive headache. So, I just try to leave the past in the past and focus on the present~" he smiled.

But Asuka saw something else. She saw pain behind his eyes. The pain of loss. The same pain she felt, when her brother went missing. And thinking of that, she remembered the scar she saw last night. So she decided to ask.

"Last night, when you left, I saw something on your back. Some sort of scar. How did that happen, if you don't mind answering?" she asked.

"Oh, that. It's a funny story, really. Let's say, I tried to bite more than I could chew. I'm always looking for strong opponents, you see. But, as it turns out, it's a double edged sword. I tried taking on an opponent leagues above me and I ended up firmly planted in the metal floor, a couple feet away from where I was originally standing. This scar is a reminder that there is always someone above you. Proves to show how big the world is." Shin said, not revealing the whole truth, but giving Asuka the gist of it. _'It's also a reminder, of how dangerous the Games of Darkness can be...'_

"I see...does it still hurt?" Asuka asked softly. Shin shook his head.

"Nah. Stings sometimes, but that's about the extent of it." Shin said dismissively.

The two then descended back into silence…until it was broken again.

"You're still holding my hand, by the way."

"I know."

"...You're not going to let my hand go, are you?"

"Nope~"

"We need to get going again. The practical exam is bout to start."

"Then let's go~" Shin said, before standing back up and bolting towards the academy.

"W-Whoa! Slow down Shin-kun! I can barely keep up!" cried Asuka, as she was barely managing to keep up with Shin.

"Then we'll do this~" Shin called back to her, before suddenly turning in place to face Asuka. The girl herself, stumbling so she wouldn't hit Shin, but before she could fall, Shin caught her and picked her up like a princess. This made Asuka blush madly. Mostly because his arm was...close to a compromising place.

"S-Shin-kun! Put me down! This is embarrassing" she cried. But Shin just grinned.

"This way we'll make it back faster. So just hold on and enjoy the free ride. Full speed ahead!" Shin shouted, before bolting towards the academy as fast as he could, making Asuka hold onto his shirt for dear life.

A while later, at the Duel Arena…

"Huh?! I'm dueling Manjoume?" Judai asked surprised, after finding out his opponent was Manjoume.

"Indeed! Since you scored so well on the entry exam, we have come to the conclusion that no real Slifer Red that match up to you. So it has been agreed, that Signore Manjoume is the most suited opponent for you." Chronos explained with a smirk. A smirk that Manjoume was sporting on his face as well.

"But what about Shin? He can take on Obelisks and since apparently an Obelisk is my only 'suitable' opponent, wouldn't it make sense that I duel Shin? I wanted to duel him for a while now, too!" Judai explained, wanting to face Shin instead of Manjoume since, to Judai, their first duel decided who was better, even if they didn't get to finish it.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible, for two reasons." Chronos explained. "One, Signore Shin won't need to participate in this months exam, as he has already proven his skill yesterday and the second reason, is that he's currently not here."

"Who said I'm not here?!" came a voice from the hall, attracting everyone's attention. From the door, a double blur emerged, skidding to a halt, but not fast enough.

They hit the sides of Duel Field and went flying into the air.

"Crap!" the voice called, before a loud **THUD** was heard.

Shin, was currently sprawled on the arena, Asuka sitting safely on his back.

"My hero…?" she said awkwardly with a sweatdrop.

"My back…!" Shin replied, making Asuka realize where she was and quickly get off of him.

"Sorry about that Shin-kun." she apologized, offering him a hand, which he took.

"Don't worry. I threw you in the air so you would fall on me and not the floor for a reason, after all." Shin replied, after dusting himself off.

"I told you carrying me like a princess, while running at top speeds would be dangerous." she sighed. This, got a reaction out of Manjoume.

"Oi! What were you doing with Tenjoin-kun?! Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?!" shouted an enraged Manjoume.

"I never remember agreeing." came Shin's swift reply, angering Manjoume some more. "So, what did we miss?"

"I'm going to duel Manjoume." answered Judai, surprising Shin.

"Why? If what I heard about this test, then shouldn't the two of us duel? Since, we're like the top Slifer's?" Shin asked confused.

"That's what I said, too!" Judai replied "But apparently, you don't have to duel, because you beat that Kenji guy yesterday..." he finished sadly.

"Come on, Judai…I know you can be impatient, trust me I am too, but didn't we agree that when we duel, it will be a three way between me, you and Misawa?" Shin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh yeah, that's right! Guess I forgot~" Judai scratched his head sheepishly. "Alright, then! Manjoume, I accept your challenge! Let's duel!" Judai exclaimed happily, while activating his Duel Disk.

"Heh! You don't know what you're getting yourself into, drop out boy! Now that I've improved my deck, you won't stand a ghost of a chance!" Manjoume declaed, before turning to Shin "That reminds me. Don't think you are safe just yet! When I'm done with the dropout boy, I'll challenge you to a duel as well! I'll make you pay for what you did on the first night!"

"Fine by me." Shin grinned eagerly "I always enjoy a challenge. Let's see if you'll be the first one here to provide it…!"

"Unfortunately, Shin is busy today." came the voice of principal Samejima. Looking back, everyone noticed Samejima walking towards Shin.

"What? I'm busy? Since when?" Shin asked confused.

"Since 5 minutes ago, actually. You see, we just received notice that someone will be visiting us, so they can have a word with you." Samejima explained, surprising those present.

"Who?" was Shin's simple question.

"I don't know. The only info I have, is that the message was sent through the Kaiba Corp network. So it's safe to assume it's someone from Kaiba Corp. And they should be arriving shortly." Samejima said, before a new, but familiar voice, called.

"Actually, we're already here."

Turning to the door, everyone's mouth dropped. There, stood a tall man in a long, sleeveless white coat, with shoulder pads and a raised studded collar coupled with extra belts around his upper arms and shins. He had brown hair and cold blue eyes. He was also carrying a suitcase with him.

Next to him, was a smaller boy. He had gray eyes and chin length black hair and was dressed in a white suit. He was also carrying around a metal suitcase.

These two, were…

"Seto-chan! Mokuba-chan!" Shin exclaimed happily. People's eyes widened at that…

"Hey Shin! Surprise!" Mokuba greeted back with a smile, making everyone's eye become wide as plates.

"Squirt." Kaiba only acknowledged Shin's greeting with a slight nod of his head, his expression not budging.

People could only stare dumbfounded, as the Kaiba brothers made their way to Shin, Mokuba having a smile, while his brother held a constant poker face.

"So, what are you doing here, Kaiba-chans~" Shin asked childishly, before being hit in the face by Seto's flying suitcase.

"Oops." he said blankly. "I forgot to tell you to catch." he finished, making Mokuba giggle.

"So, you got the jokes going, huh?" Shin asked, unamused, as the suitcase slid off his face. Catching it in his hands and taking a closer look at it, Shin realized something. "It's my trunk! Mai pwecious cawds~" he said like a child, while hugging the suitcase, making people present sweatdrop.

"I thought I told you to stop dropping you junk in my vault, without my notice." Kaiba deadpanned, making Shin's vein appear on his forehead.

"Junk?!" he exclaimed "Junk is you completely ineffectual, impractical, totally-not-aerodynamic-at-all, childish looking rocket ship you call the Blue Eyes White Dragon Jet!" he argued childishly, taking the form of a Chibi. "Deez is mah familiez!" Chibi Shin said in a comical voice, while holding the suitcase close to him.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you consider your little cards 'family'." said Kaiba, making Chibi Shin pout, before gaining a smirk.

"So, you don't consider your cards family? Alright, then. I'll be sure to tell Kisara-chan that~ Let's see you play the Blue Eyes White Dragon then~" Shin teased, with a shit eating grin.

"Guh-!" Kaiba grimaced "Don't you dare pull that crap…!" Kaiba said, but Shin just stuck his tongue out and winked. "Grr..."

"Onii-sama, we're here for a reason, remember…?" Mokuba said, defusing their little squabble.

"You're right." Kaiba sighed. "I forgot how easy conversations degenerate with you…" he deadpanned, to which Shin just made a cute 'innocent' face, while holding up a peace sign.

People, were left dumbfounded, at how Shin and Kaiba could have such a conversation.

"Umm, Mister Kaiba?" Samejima asked, bringing the attention on him. "You never specified, the purpose of this meeting."

"Oh yeah. I did forget." Kaiba admitted. "I got notice this morning, that a student was found unconscious in the port. So I came to check on some things. I need that student's file, first of all. Do you mind if we use your office, Principal?"

"N-No, it's no problem at all. Please go right ahead." Samejima said. Kaiba then turned to Shin.

"Squirt, you come too. I need a report on the Duel performance of that Duel Disk I gave you." he said, pointing to Shin. "And there's something else I need to tell you too. So get a move on." he said, before turning to leave, Mokuba following suit.

"Oi! Wait for me! I already ran enough!" Shin complained, before taking off after the brothers, leaving the students present dumbfounded.

 **-GX-**

"That...just happened." said Misawa astounded. Sho and Judai nodding.

"I knew Shin-kun was interesting, but I truly didn't expect this...to be able to talk to Seto Kaiba like that..." Asuka marveled.

"W-Well! Time is ticking!" called Chronos, bringing everyone's attention to him. "Signore Manjoume and Judai! Get ready!" he shouted, as the two drew their cards.

"Let's go, Manjoume!" Judai called.

"That's Manjoume- **san** to you, dropout!"

"" **DUEL!""** they shouted in unison.

 **Judai:** 4000 LP

 **Manjoume:** 4000 LP

"I'll go first! I draw!" Judai declared as he drew his card. Winged Kuriboh. _'Partner! If I drew you this early, it must mean some luck!'_ he thought happily. "I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in DEF mode!" he declared, as the monster materialized and took a defensive stance. "I end my turn!"

Elemental HERO Clayman -LV4- (800/2000)

"Heh! More of your smallfry monsters? Why doesn't it surprise me. I'll show just how ragile those heroes of yours are! I draw!" Manjoume shouted, after drawing his card. _'Already one of the rare cards Chronos gave me.'_ he smirked.

"I activate, Magical Mallet!" he declared, as the card flipped up. "With this, I can send any number of cards from my hand back to my deck, shuffle and then redraw the same amount!" he said, sending four of his cards back to his deck.

"What?!"

"He's replacing four of his cards?!" Sho asked shocked.

"Think about it. You can send away any card you don't want and then replace them. Your chances of drawing something good increase that way." Misawa explained.

"Look at that! I drew another Magical Mallet!" Manjoume declared, showing the card "And I'll activate it!" he said, sending two cards this time. "Now, I summon V-Tiger Jet!"

The mechanical tiger materialized and let out a mighty roar, as static traveled over it's body.

V-Tiger Jet -LV4- (1600/1800)

"Now, I play the Continuous Spell, Frontline base! Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower monster from my hand! I choose, W-Wing Catapult!" Manjoume declared, before the robot monster materialized next to V-Tiger Jet.

W-Wing Catapult -LV4- (1300/1500)

"And finally, I'll fuse my two monster to create, VW Tiger Catapult!" Manjoume stated, as his monster disassembled and formed a new monster.

VW Tiger Catapult -LV6- (2000/2100)

"Shocked, Judai?" Manjoume asked with a smirk. "My turn is still not over yet! I activate VW Tiger Catapult's effect! By sending one card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can change the battle position of one of my opponent's monster!" Manjoume stated, as Clayman switched to ATK mode. Clayman ATK 800.

"No fair! Clayman only has 800 ATK points! If he get's struck by that..." Sho cringed.

"VW Tiger Catapult! Fire the missiles! Eradicate Clayman!" Manjoume commanded, the monster launching it's rockets at Clayman, destroying him.

 **Judai:** 2800 LP

"I set a card and end my turn."

"Aniki..." Sho said worriedly.

' _Bravo! You are using the new cards I gave you to the fullest, Signore Manjoume!'_ thought Chronos happily.

"My turn! I draw!" Judai declared. "I set a monster and end my turn!"

"Playing on the defensive…? That's not like Aniki at all..."

"Afraid that's all he can do at the moment." Misawa said "There is a monster with 2000 ATK staring him down after all."

' _Come on Judai...That can't be all you've got...'_ Asuka thought.

"The it's my turn again! I draw!" Manjoume stated, as he drew his card. "First, I summon X Head Cannon and then, I special summon Z Metal Tank using Frontline Base!" he declared, as his two monsters appeared. "But that's not all!"

"Uh-oh" Judai gulped.

"I activate, Call of the Haunted! And with it, I bring back Y Dragon Head! Now, I fuse all three together, to form...XYZ Dragon Cannon!" Manjoume announced, as his three monsters combined.

XYZ Dragon Cannon -LV8- (2800/2600)

"Aniki now has two monster with over 2000 ATK to worry about..." Sho said sadly.

"But I'm not done yet!" Manjoume stated "Now, I combine my two monster together, to access their strongest form!" he declared, as his monsters combined into one. "Behold, my ultimate monster! V-Z Dragon Catapult Cannon!"

V-Z Dragon Catapult Cannon -LV8- (3000/2800)

"now, I activate my monsters special ability! Say goodbye to your monster!" Manjoume said, as Judai's monster disappeared from the field.

"Sparkman…!"

"Go V-Z! Attack the player directly!" Manjoume commanded.

"Hold on! I activate my Trap!" Judai declared "A Hero Emerges!"

"What?!"

"This forces you to choose a card in my hand and if it's a monster card, I get to summon it, if not, then it goes to the Graveyard." Judai explained.

"Fine! I choose the left most card!" Manjoume declared, making Judai smirk

' _Lucky!'_

"I special summon, Elemental HERO Burstinatrix in DEF mode!" Judai shouted, as the hero monster emerged and took a defensive stance.

"I won't let it stay like that for long! I activate my monster's second effect! When it attacks, I can switch the battle position of one of my opponents monsters! **Ultimate Destruction!** "

Burstinatrix didn't stand a chance against V-Z's lasers and got destroyed.

 **Judai:** 1000 LP

"Aniki!" Sho called out in worry.

"I end my turn! What are you going to do now, dropout? You are completely defenseless and one more attack is all I need to win." Manjoume smirked, while Chronos was quietly laughing in the background.

"I...I believe in my deck! As long as I have monster that will fight by my side, I will continue fighting as well! I draw!

In the meanwhile, after Shin left…

The Kaiba brothers and Shin were currently walking towards the principal's office.

"So, how is the Duel Disk I gave you?" asked Kaiba, Shin perking up.

"Oh, it's really cool! I can barely feel it when it's on my hand and I can carry it basically anywhere without trouble~ I love the touchscreen system too. Came in handy yesterday."

"How so?" Seto asked.

"Helped me catch a cheater." Shin stated, making Seto frown and look at Shin.

"Who was it?"

"An Obelisk named Kenji. The guy they found unconscious this morning, actually." Shin stated simply.

"So that's his name?" Seto asked, gaining a nod from Shin. "Humph! Then I say he got what he deserved. I built this school, to help the next generation of duelists grow, not to let cheaters out in the world. It would tarnish the good name of Seto Kaiba. You did good, by exposing him squirt." Kaiba congratulated Shin, in his own way.

"Did you still win against him?" asked Mokuba.

"Of course I did." Shin stated proudly "It would be embarrassing if I got defeated by a cheater."

"And what about how they found him this morning?" Seto asked, with a raised eyebrow. "Do you know anything about it?"

"Can't help you there. I only found out myself around an hour ago. And I don't even remember falling asleep last night, so...questioning me would be kind of a moot point."

' _You're right...questioning **you** would be pointless. I need to talk with the other one, then...'_ Kaiba thought, as they reached the office.

Entering, Shin looked around, trying to find where the student files were.

"So, was that all? Or is there something else?" Shin asked, his back turned to Seto.

"Actually, yes, there is one more thing. Sorry." Seto said.

Before Shin could question it, however, he felt a sharp pain in the side of his neck, before losing consciousness. Before he could fall on his face, Seto grabbed his collar and put him on the ground.

"Is that really necessary?" asked Mokuba. Seto only sighed.

"It's the quickest and most silent way. If I tried to make him remember his past, he would start screaming in agony, before falling unconscious. Have you forgotten, what happened during the Battle City finals? I don't want people to think I'm torturing him, when I only need to ask a few questions.

"I guess you're right." Mokuba said, before Shin began moving and groaned. The two brothers beginning to feel the pressure.

"Ugh...Didn't anyone teach you it's not nice to knock people out…?" asked Shin, his voice becoming deeper and cold again. His eyes flaring red.

"Could ask you the same thing. No one teach you it's not nice to put people into a coma?" asked Seto, unfazed by Shin's constant pressure.

"Such is the fate, of those who break the rules of the Games of Darkness." Shin said simply.

"So it was you. Why?" Seto asked calmly.

"To teach him a lesson. His desire for vengeance had gotten the better of him and had clouded his mind."

"And that lesson, was to put him into a coma?"

"That was his own fault. I warned him not to break the rules, but in the end, he couldn't stray from his wrong ways and broke the rules. All who break the Rules of Darkness, are dealt just punishments."

"Will he ever wake up?" he asked, while looking over Kenji's student file, that Mokuba handed him.

"Depends." Shin said blankly. "If he learns from his mistakes and embraces them, he will. If he isn't willing to correct his ways, he will continue to wander the shadows forever."

"Alright then. I have all the info I needed." Seto said, handing the file back to Mokuba "I will overlook this incident, as I, too, despise cheaters. But know, that the next time a student is hurt like this, I will deal with you personally." Seto said with finality.

But the threat, didn't seem to faze Shin.

"Oohhh~ you're going to beat me at a children's card game, thereby preventing me from doing anything 'evil' ever again, is that it? I am positively shaking in my boots." he said in a flat tone, with an equally blank expression.

"Good to see you at least have some sense of humor." Seto stated, before turning to leave. "Give the real Shin control again. My business with you is done.

"Humph. Still assuming I'm the 'false' Shin is see. The Shin you know, isn't the real Shin either."

"I still prefer him over you. It's like I'm looking in a mirror years ago. Now go back to sleep or whatever."

"Fine. Until we meet again..." Shin said, before his eyes faded back to blue and collapsed.

Only to woken up by the impact.

"Owww!" he whined, while rubbing his sore nose. Looking around he noticed Seto and Mokuba about to exit the room, looking down at him.

"Some luck you have. A plant randomly fell on your head when you were near the shelf over there. You've been out for a while now. We managed to clean AND get the info we needed, by the time you came to." Seto lied expertly.

"That reminds me! You need to give you stupid dome a thorough check up! The same happened at the entrance exam! Some piece of debris fell on my head!" Shin whined with teary eyes.

"I'll see what I can do..." Seto said, unenthusiastically. "Now come on. We're leaving squirt." and with that, he exited the room, Mokuba and Shin following.

"Why do you keep calling me squirt?! I grew! I'm not the same as I was five years ago!"

"A: You are shorter than me, B: You are shorter than me and C: You're still losing to me when we duel. Until you change any of those statements, I'll keep calling you a squirt, squirt." Kaiba said, making Shin pout.

Soon, they reached the entrance.

"I'll be monitoring the Duel Performance of your Disk from now on. It will be the stepping stone for a brand new generation of Dueling some day. See you another time squirt." Seto said, as he and Mokuba boarded the Blue Eyes White Dragon Jet.

"See you Shin! Let's duel the next time!" waved Mokuba.

"Sure thing! Also..." he started, as he looked at Kaiba "I want a rematch!" he stated with determination.

This, made Kaiba actually gain a small grin and chuckle lightly.

"So you can add another loss to our duel list?" he asked amused, which made Mokuba giggle and Shin put.

"Hey, I don't have that many losses!" Shin tried to defend.

"Mokuba, what are looking at?" Seto asked, Mokuba producing a notebook.

"50 wins for Onii-sama and 50 losses for Shin." Mokuba stated, making Shin facefault.

"Numbers don't lie squirt. But don't worry, I'll take you on whenever you reach Obelisk Blue. Which reminds me.." Seto said, before pulling something out of his jet, and throwing it at Shin's face.

It was a Ra Yellow uniform. Shoes and all.

"Red doesn't suit you. Yellow goes with your hair, at least. I'll let the principal know that I changed your dorm. Seeing as you beat multiple Obelisks, it's only fitting." he said with a grin, surprising Shin.

"How did you..."

"I know everything. Later." Seto said, before the glass window shut down and the jet took off.

Sighing, Shin went back in the school, hoping he didn't miss all of Judai's Duel.

As he reached the Duel Arena, clad in the yellow uniform, he noticed the field.

' _So Manjoume is in the lead huh? V-Z is a bitch. I should know. I faced it 50 times and I still hate it.'_ Shin cringed, remembering his many losses against Kaiba.

" **Ultimate Destruction!** " Manjoume called, as his monster destroyed Judai's Burstinatrix.

' _Let's see what you can do to win...'_

"My turn! I draw!" Judai declared, as he drew his card. "I summon, Winged Kuriboh in ATK mode!" he said, as the winged furball spread it's wings.

"Cu-tie~~" shouted some of the female students.

Shin's own Kuriboh came out, and cooed happily.

' _Oh yeah, Kuriboh didn't get to meet Winged Kuriboh yesterday.'_ Shin thought, while watching the Kuriboh fly around happily. _'Now that I think about it, I haven't seen or heard anyone today. Wonder what's up...'_

"I place one face down and end my turn!" declared Judai, making Manjoume laugh.

"So that little furball is your last stand? Haha! I knew you only had smallfry monsters in you deck! V-Z! Remove that annoying furball and end the duel!" Manjoume declared.

However, as V-Z was about to attack, Judai grinned.

"I send two cards to my Graveyard, to activate my facedown! Transcended Wings!" Judai called, as the card flipped up. "With this, I can evolve my Winged Kuriboh to a new level!" Judai declared, as Winged Kuriboh became covered in armor, it's wings growing to great proportions and shielding it from V-Z's attack, shocking Manjoume and Chronos.

"What?! What's happening?!"

"Thanks to Transcended Wings, Winged Kuriboh became Winged Kuriboh LV10! And it's special ability allows me to destroy all monsters on my opponents side of the field and deal Damage, equal to the destroyed monsters ATK!" Judai shouted, shocking Manjoume further. "Winged Kuriboh! Send that blast right back at him!"

Winged Kuriboh did as instructed and deflected the blast right back at Manjoume, sacrificing itself in the process.

 **Manjoume:** 1000 LP

"I end my turn!" Manjoume said through gritted teeth.

"We are now at 1000 LP each, Manjoume" Judai smirked "It would be a shame, if I drew something to end it right now."

"Like that's gonna happen!" Manjoume shouted.

"It will! I summon, Elemental HERO Avian!" Judai declared, shocking Manjoume and Chronos and surprising the gang. Shin just smirked.

Elemental HERO Avian -LV3- (1000/1000)

' _Oh no…!'_ Manjoume gulped.

"Avian! Attack Manjoume directly!" Judai called, his monster complying and attacking Manjoume, reducing his life points to zero.

 **Manjoume:** 0 LP

 **WINNER! JUDAI!**

And with that, the crowd erupted into cheers. Sho hurrying to congratulate his Big Bro, Misawa in tow.

' _Judai…!'_ Manjoume grimaced.

"To so many rare cards and still lose…!" Chronos despaired. Samejima, however, smiled and went over to the intercom.

" _Well done, Judai-kun. You're belief in your deck and the bond you share with you monsters are commendable. You are hereby promoted to Ra Yellow."_ Samejima stated with a smile, making the crowd cheers for Judai again.

"You did it Aniki! You overwhelmed me!" Sho stated happily, while hugging his Big Bro.

"Aren't I tough?" Judai asked with a grin.

"Congratulations. Let me be the first to welcome you to Ra Yellow." Misawa stated, while extending his hands for a handshake. Something that Judai accepted.

In the distance, Shin stood smiling.

' _This is Judai's moment. I think I'll just let him enjoy it. I'll go back to the dorm, to get my things. Got some moving to do...'_ he thought, before quietly slipping away from the festivities and going back to the Slifer Red dorm one final time.

 **And that's a wrap! The rest will be continued next chapter~**

 **Whew~ Some things happened, huh? Kenji going mad, Yami Shin emerging and punishing Kenji for breaking the rules.**

 **And it looks like Yami Shin knows about the dangers of the Abandoned Dorm...or at least a little bit of it. Even warning Shin's duel spirits about what's to come..**

 **Then Seto Kaiba shows up! And even a little bit of Shin's history with him was revealed. Yes. There is such a thing as 'backstory' that Shin has…**

 **And Judai and Shin are officially in Ra Yellow. Too bad Judai stays Red for the entirety of the series. I won't change that.**

 **So I have to say this right here and now, so I won't have any more headaches because of it later on.**

 **I am doing this for fun. I am not some professional writer and I know my story won't satisfy the apparent 'needs' of some. So if you don't like the story, then you are free to leave it be and not read it. I am not forcing anyone to read my story or review. Just as I am not forced to read or acknowledge reviews, that just criticize my OC, or my writing style, or whatever. If you do not like how I do things, then leave. I accept people telling me where I make mistakes, but not people leaving paragraphs, on how the chapter sucked or whatever, without at least saying *some* good things about the chapter.**

 **General info: Not everyone is a review masochist. Most people get depressed, when they read reviews that just criticize their work and nothing else. They are doing this for fun and when they read that even THAT is getting criticized, it get's hella depressing. Just so you know.**

 **So with that point being, hopefully, put to rest, I've nothing left to say on this chapter.**

 **For those of you who enjoy the story, for whatever it's worth, see you next chapter~**

 **P.S. Schedule change: Stories will now be updated every Tuesday or so. For the next month probably.**


	6. Chapter 5

**RoyalTwinFangs: He will, sort of. But in the future. Can't spoil anything yet~**

 **Guest: Here's your answer~**

 **Allan Von'Skoon (chap 3): No worries man~ Cuddle times are nice~ Also, that 'damage' thing got me rolling in my bed laughing~ Thanks man~ And don't worry about Shin's perviness...It will resurface from time to time.**

 **Shin will manner all those who step out of line. It's his-..That would be spoiling it~ Seeya there!**

 **Allan Von'Skoon (chap 4): Hello again~ I based that first Game from Season 0, because I wanted to stay true to the origins of righteous Games of Darkness. There will be some other Games of Darkness, that Yami Shin will be delivering, but I'll try my best to make them original...dunno if it will work though.**

 **So now that- *Shin crashes through the ceiling* "-Seto-chan is gone, there's one less head ache to worry about!" *Shin says smiling*. You done? "Yup! Seeya next chapter!" *he says, before Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus arrives and flies off with him, leaving a confused Shade looking off in the distance.* ..Wai to spoil 5D's Shin...You heard nothing!**

 **So yeah, anyways,**

 **Thank you, and yes, it was helpful~**

 **ClyxicRyse: True that~**

 **So with those reviews out of the way, here's the chapter~**

Chapter 5: Shattered Memories & Spirit Showdown

The sun had, once again, set on the island.

After his duel, everyone, bar some Obelisks, congratulated Judai on his win and promotion to Ra Yellow. Of course, Manjoume didn't get such a thing. Seeing as he failed to beat Judai, a Slifer no less, Chronos was...disappointed, to say the least. Chronos and the two goons decided Manjoume was no longer worth it and left him all alone.

Of course, the gang soon noticed that someone was missing.

Shin.

They hadn't seen him since he left with Kaiba. Going outside, they saw no trace of Kaiba **or** Shin. This had them a little worried. Shin, seemed to be a magnet for unexpected things. One could only wonder how long it would take, until something unexpectedly **bad** was attracted to Shin's location…

Fortunately, that wasn't the case...just yet.

Calmly walking back to the Slifer Red dorm, a pair of red headphones on top of his head, Shin was quietly singing to the song that was playing.

" _Chillin' out with the crew in the schoolyard~ Finding trouble, never working too hard~ Back in class, they never taught us **this~** Some things you gotta learn, hit or miss~" _Shin sang softly, while bobbing his head to the music.

Just then, Eatos and Dark Magician Girl appeared beside Shin. Seeing this, Shin took his right headphone off his ear, so he could hear them.

" **You should write a song, Shi-chan~"** sang Dark Magician Girl with a smile on her face. **"You have the vocals down."**

" **And you can play the guitar too, so that's another point down."** continued Eatos.

Shin seemed to be contemplating the idea, before shaking his head.

"Nah, too much of a hassle. It comes randomly. Creating an entire song, would take too long and I'm too impatient. Maybe someday, when I have someone to give me inspiration. That could work." Shin said, while looking at the moon.

However, for a split second, he could swear he saw what appeared to be a rose instead of the moon.

' _Huh?'_ However, it was gone in the next second. _'Wonder what that was about...'_

" **Something wrong, Shin-sama?"** asked Eatos, snapping Shin out from his trance.

"No...Nothing. Just seeing thing is all." Shin answered calmly. Something that was, a little unusual, for this Shin. And Dark Magician Girl seemed to notice this as well.

" **You've been pretty quiet Shi-chan. Something on your mind?"** she asked _'More than usual…?'_

"I'm fine." he assured "It's just, something weird happened today..."

" **Weirder than Kaiba just dropping in?"**

"Not sure...but weird nonetheless." Shin said "I thought I heard something sobbing today." he continued, slightly surprising the two spirits.

" **Who was it?"** asked Eatos, DMG nodding her head in agreement

"That's the thing. I don't know. The sound disappeared as soon as it came." he answered.

" **Hmm~"** Shin's Partner hummed **"I wonder..."**

"Do you perhaps have an idea as to what that was?" Shin asked with a raised eyebrow.

Dark Magician Girl smiled and bobbed her head affirmatively.

" **I may have an idea~ See, while you were dueling those two Obelisks on your first day here, I took the liberty of exploring the island for a bit~ And in the forest, I noticed a couple interesting structures~"** she sang.

"And…?"

" **I noticed a dried fountain deep in the forest. Apparently, it's called the 'Reject Well'."** she said, her voice becoming a little sad towards the end.

" **Huh? Why would it be called the 'Reject Well'?"** Eatos asked confused.

" **Duelists throw away cards they consider useless down there..."** she said sadly.

This angered Shin. For him, cards were a duelists family. And someone who just threw away family, wasn't in Shin's good books.

"You think that's where the crying was coming from?" he asked, to which his Partner nodded. "Then take me there. I need to see this for myself. We'll deal with everything else later..."

And so, the three made their way into the forest.

Once again, the forest was quiet. Very quiet. Unfortunately, this Shin, wasn't as calm as his 'dark' counterpart.

"H-How long until we get there…?" he asked, from behind Eatos's dress.

" **We're almost there...and would you man up already? It's just a forest, not to mention you have us!"** Dark Magician Girl replied, a little fed up with Shin's unusual cowardice.

"Easy for you to say! You are a spirit yourself! Nothing can harm you! I'm a different story! And the fact that this forest somehow has exotic and **dangerous** animals prowling about, doesn't make it better-"

 **SNAP**

"EEK?!" Shin shouted, before hiding under Eatos's skirt, making said spirit blush in embarrassment.

" **S-Shin-sama?! Please, get out from under there!"** Eatos said embarrassed, while trying to get Shin from under her skirt.

"No! Something's out there! And it's not something good! I know it!"

" **Oh for the love of-!"** Dark Magician Girl exclaimed, before grabbing Shin and, with a swift yank, pulled him out of his hiding spot…

 **WHACK!**

...Before whacking him across the head with her wand, effectively calming him. And knocking him out.

" **I never thought I'd say this...but I think I prefer the other one, until we get there. As much as I love him, I can't deal with his antics this late."** Dark Magician Girl sighed with a hand on her forehead. Eatos, couldn't help but agree...however…

" **Was it really necessary to knock him out like that, though? He was already knocked out once today..."** Eatos said with a sweatdrop, while poking the unconscious Shin with a twig.

"Yeah, was it really necessary…?" came Shin's monotone voice. Eatos made some distance, as he stood back up.

" **This time only, yes. He can be a real coward sometimes, so we need you to walk with us and switch when we arrive at our destination. Can you do that? You like walks in the forest anyway, right?"** DMG asked, to which Yami Shin nodded.

"Yes, that I do. It helps calm oneself." he answered monotonously.

" **Alright then. Come on."** And with that, they were back on their original track. Of course, now they had to deal with Yami Shin's constant pressure pushing down their necks. But, it was better than having to deal with Shin's antics, at least.

Soon enough, they reached their destination. It was a run down well. Moss was present over the majority of the brick, as for the bricks themselves, they looked like they were going to crumble soon.

"I feel multiple presences down there..." Yami Shin noted.

" **That's why I need you to switch control."** DMG said. However, Yami Shin had slightly different plans.

"Later. I'm not some sort of switch you can just turn on and off. Doing this takes it's toll on the mind, you know. Do you want to further damage Shin's mind?" Yami Shin asked blankly, knowing the answer. And it became evident on the spirits concerned faces.

" **Well, no but..."** Eatos started

" **Your constant pressure will just scare away any spirits we might encounter, making our trip pointless."** Dark Magician Girl finished.

"That was your concern…?" Yami Shin asked blankly, while shaking his head.

Suddenly, the two Spirits felt relief wash over them. Why? Even they didn't know.

"It's my own will. I can decrease the intensity if it's needed. I only keep it this intense, because I don't want people to bother me." Yami Shin explained, as he walked towards the well.

Upon reaching the well, he went completely quiet. The two Spirits were about to question it, but then…

They heard the sound of someone silently sniffling. And it came from the well's depths.

"Target acquired huh?" Yami Shin asked, while glancing down the well.

" **You think that was what Master was talking about?"** Eatos asked the Dark Magician Girl.

" **It probably is."** she answered

" **But, he said he was in the port when he heard it. Isn't this a little too far away, for someone to hear it?"**

" **Maybe he heard it in the Spirit Realm? That's the only plausible answer.."**

As they finished their little conversation, they turned back to Yami Shin…

...Only to see him jump straight down in the well, shocking the two spirits, who immediately rushed right after.

The drop, only lasted a second. Due to gravity and physics, Shin's body dropped down the 7-8 meter drop immediately.

Landing in a crouching position, Yami Shin waited for a moment, before standing back up, just as Eatos and Dark Magician Girl caught up.

" **Are you crazy?!"** Dark Magician Girl screeched, upon landing **"Are you TRYING to break Shi-chan's feet?!"** she exclaimed, her head growing to balloon proportions and her face having a comical angry expression, along with her flailing her arms wildly.

She almost whacked Eatos over the head, had she not dodged at the last second. So, for her own AND Dark Magician Girl's safety, Eatos grabbed her arms and tried to calm her down.

" **Alright, let's calm down, before you hurt both of us."** Eatos said, managing to get her to stop thrashing about, however, she was still seething.

"And you were afraid **I'll** scare everyone away…?" Yami Shin deadpanned to the seething Dark Magician Girl. "Take a look around." he said simply.

Following his command, the two spirits took a look around them and found something interesting. The fact that the bottom of the well, was more like a cave. There was plenty of space to move around, even run in circles.

They also saw that the cave…

...was empty.

"" **Huh?""** the two spirits asked in unison.

" **Where is everyone?"** asked Dark Magician Girl.

"You obviously scared them away with your banshee call." came Yami Shin's blank reply, making Eatos have to hold in her laugh and making DMG become even redder from anger and embarrassment.

" **So, you got jokes in you after all, huh…? Such a change, mister gloom and dark… Look at me, I'm so mysterious and emo and that somehow makes me cool..."** DMG grumbled like a child. Making Eatos sweatdrop.

"I can hear you, you know." Yami Shin deadpanned.

" **That was my intention~"** she sang without skipping a beat.

 **Pfft~!**

The sound of someone slightly spurting, made the three turn their attention, to a shadowed corner, where a form could barely be seen. Realizing their slip up, hey immediately covered their mouth and backed up in the shadows. Too late, unfortunately.

"It's alright. You can come out. It's not like we're going to hurt you." Yami Shin said monotonously. Though, it didn't seem to help.

" **Geez, you obviously don't know how this is supposed to work..."** Dark Magician Girl deadpanned.

"I wonder why..." Yami Shin said, in the driest tone he could muster, with an equally blank face.

Seeing the two start to bicker again, Eatos sighed.

' _This is getting ridiculous. I think we need to find a way, to repair Master's mind...for everyone's sake...'_ she deadpanned in her mind. Deciding that her spirit companion and her Master's mirror image won't be of any use at the moment, she took the lead.

" **It's alright to come out, little guy. You don't have to be afraid of anything. We aren't going to hurt you. We are actually here to help you."** she said as gently as possible. This time, it seemed to work, as the tiny figure took a tiny step forward.

" **...R-Really…?"** a timid voice called, Eatos nodding with a smile. Yami Shin and Dark Magician Girl, noticed that Eatos made some progress and stopped bickering, deciding to pay attention, as the monster took small steps out of the shadows and revealed themselves.

The tiny monster spirit, being Key Mace.

" **...You are really here to help us…?"** Key Mace asked with some hope.

" **In whatever way that we can~"** Dark Magician Girl answered, Eatos and, surprisingly, Yami Shin nodding in agreement. **"I didn't expect you to want to help."** she remarked surprised.

"They have all been abandoned in this place. It means that I get to deliver punishment to all those who threw these cards away like that." he answered, making Eatos and DMG sweatdrop.

" **Better than nothing, I guess..."** DMG said awkwardly, before turning to Key Mace **"So, where are your other friends, little guy?"**

" **Oh, right. Everyone, you can come out. They're here to help."** Key Mace called, soon enough, multiple spirits appearing.

Aitsu, Koitsu, Catnipped Kitty, Copycat and many more. Though, for the amount of cards that were on the ground, the numbers didn't add up.

" **Well, it's not everyone, but it's most of us."** Key Mace said to the three.

"Humph. It is obvious, that your previous owners, were merely superficial duelists." Yami Shin said, after observing the spirits present. This also gained the attention of some of the Duel Spirits, Key Mace voicing their thoughts.

" **What do you mean by that?"** the fairy asked.

"I mean, they only searched for brute strength in a deck. If not, then they wouldn't have thrown you away like this. Every card has it's use. I can think of a number of strategies, where you guys come in play." he elaborated, before picking a card that was under his foot. "See, perfect example." he finished, showing them the card.

Relinquished -LV1- (0/0)

" **Relinquished? I see what you mean. That card gave Master a lot of trouble in Duelist Kingdom. Anyone who would just throw that away must really be an amateur."** Dark Magician Girl said, while floating about, observing other spiritless cards **(cards where the Spirit didn't show up).**

Eatos kept looking at the spirits present, before a thought came to her.

" **Say, why were you guys hiding in the first place?"** she asked, gaining the attention of Yami Shin and Dark Magician Girl.

" **We do not come out unless necessary. Mostly because pretty much no one can actually see or hear us. We'd just be wasting our energy."** Key Mace explained, the others nodding.

"But why were you crying?" Yami Shin asked, surprising Key Mace.

" **I wasn't the one crying. That was our newest addition..."** she said, dipping her head a bit.

" **Newest addition? You mean a recently abandoned card spirit?"** asked Eatos. Key Mace nodded in agreement.

" **Yes. She was abandoned by her owner, when they moved up a grade, apparently. We don't know the full story either, as she wouldn't stop crying over it. Poor thing..."**

' _Heard that Shin?'_ Yami asked in his mind.

Surprisingly, he got an answer.

' _Nghh...I..I think...'_ came his counterparts answer _'W-Wait a second! How can we communicate like this?!'_ Shin asked shocked.

' _I've been experimenting with our Pendant, while you were asleep. Turns out, since it contains a fraction of all Millennium Items, I can access all of their powers as well. Thus, I've been infusing bit by bit of my consciousness into the Pendant. Imagine how Yami Bakura sealed a piece of his soul into the Millennium Puzzle. That's about it, really. And just like the Millennium Puzzle and Ring, our Pendant now acts as a vessel for my conscious when you're in control and vice versa. Follow all of that?'_ Yami Shin explained to his counterpart.

...Though by the slight headache he got, he realized it was a little hard to follow for young Shin.

' _Not all of it, that's for sure...'_ Shin admitted, making Yami Shin sigh.

" **Hm? What's wrong?"** asked Dark Magician Girl, upon hearing Yami Shin sigh.

"Just watch." was his simple answer, once taking a blank card from his pocket, into his left hand.

Bringing his right hand to his medallion, Yami Shin touched the Eye of Wdjat on it, the medallion itself and the card beginning to glow until…

 **PLOP**

"H-Huh?" was Shin's question, upon landing on the ground. Taking in his surroundings, he noticed multiple spirits, his own included, looking at him shocked.

" **Another one?"**

" **Are they twins?"**

" **Where did the second one even come from?"**

Those were questions Key Mace and other spirits were asking themselves. As for Eatos and Dark Magician Girl…

" **Shi-chan?! You have your own body!"** DMG exclaimed.

"Yami Me must be using Fanfic powers! He truly is my most evil adversery...ad-adversary..?..A-adver- He's a dick!" Shin stated, Dark Magician Girl nodding in agreement.

Yami Shin and Eatos, could only stare dumbfounded. Until Yami Shin sighed heavily.

"No you idiot." he stated blankly, making Shin pout. "I simply used the Pendant to put your conscience into this card." he explained, showing Shin the blank card. "Then I used our own power to give you a physical form."

"Isn't this what Yami Marik used against Yugi and Atem in the battle city finals though?" Shin asked cautiously.

"No, Yami Marik used the Games of Darkness, as a medium to give Marik and Yugi a physical form. I used this card and our originals power. If something happens to you, while we're like this, then be assured that it will happen to me as well. So don't worry, I won't try to kill you, to gain complete control. That's not what I want." Yami Shin explained calmly.

" **What *do* you want then?"** Dark Magician Girl asked, Eatos and Shin nodding in agreement.

"You'll find out in time. For now, let's focus on he matter at hand. That body of yours won't last for long. It's incredibly straining to maintain focus with a shattered mind, you know." Yami Shin answered calmly.

" **You look completely fine though."** Eatos remarked, everyone else nodding.

"I have a good poker face. Now hurry up." he urged.

Nodding, Shin stood up and turned to Key Mace.

"Where is the spirit you were talking about?"

" **Well, she's usually in the Spirit Realm, actually. But, her card is right there."** she pointed to a corner, where a single card could be seen. **"You can try to call her out, but I doubt it would work..."**

"It's worth a shot..." Shin said, while going towards the card. Picking it up, he finally saw what spirit needed help.

" **Silent Magician LV4, huh..."** Dark Magician Girl stated from over Shin's shoulder. **"I don't get these people. She has an awesome effect. She's the one that made Yugi the true King of Duelists damn it! Why would anyone throw her away?!"** she began fuming, requiring Eatos to calm her down again.

"Poorly built deck, perhaps?" Yami Shin suggested, him now leaning on the entrance wall. "We already established that the people who throw cards away here, are power idiots. And, no offense, but as awesome as her effect is, she takes a lot of time to reach it."

 ***sob sob***

As if on cue, a silent sobbing was heard, coming from the card.

" **Now you've gone and done it! We're trying to help and you're making it worse!"** DMG shouted.

"I'm stating the truth." Yami Shin stated simply.

"He's right." Shin said, shocking Eatos and Dark Magician Girl.

"" **Shi-chan?!/ Master?!""**

"He's right that it takes a lot of time, to activate her effect..." he began, the spirit inside the card seemingly becoming more and more depressed

"but." he continued, gaining the spirits attention.

"A true Duelist, can always bring out their monsters full potential." he stated, his words being directed at the card spirit. "If you ended up here, then that means you had the wrong partner to begin with."

Silence ensued afterward, until…

" **..W-We...we weren't even really partners..."** the spirit said, quietly.

Hearing the spirit talk, surprised the residents of the well. They could barely get her to talk, but Shin did it so easy.

"What do you mean?" Shin asked, everyone else listening intently.

" **...he only considered us tools..."** she said, making Shin and the gang frown **"...mere stepping stones, for his ascent to glory and fame..."** she continued sadly. **"After he managed to enter in Obelisk Blue at the beginning of the year, he just threw his deck away, after getting himself a strong structure deck. And since I was the weakest card, I ended up here..."**

"That's no Duelist." Yami Shin remarked. "That's scum…!" he declared, in one of the rare moments where he shows emotion.

" **For once, I agree."** Dark Magician Girl started **"If he doesn't even care about the deck that brought him this far, then he doesn't deserve to be called a duelist."**

" **Indeed. There's nothing more lowly, then throwing away the cards that fought for you all this time."** Eatos stated

"Every card, has it's special use." Shin stated, bringing the spirits attention back to him "If your former Partner couldn't see that, then he isn't worthy of possessing a card like you." he finished, surprising the spirit.

" **Special…?"** she asked.

" **Like all LV monsters!"** Dark Magician Girl smiled **"You guys are some of the most special cards one could have right now. So cheer up!"**

And it worked. The spirit seemed to have cheered up a bit. Enough, to finally emerge from her card.

But...

'''' _A Loli…!''''_ Shin, his counterpart, DMG and Eatos thought at the same time.

Indeed, the spirit that just emerged, was a Loli.

She was small in stature, wearing a blue and white robe, coupled with a big white hat and a magical staff in her hand. She had long gray hair that spiked up towards the end and big brown eyes.

This, was Silent Magician LV4.

And she looked very shy right now.

" **You guys really think I can be of some use…?"** she asked, looking towards the ground.

""Of course!" **"** Shin and his Partner exclaimed, Eatos and Yami Shin nodding in agreement. Hearing this, Silent Magician gained some hope in her eyes. Said eyes beginning to leak some tears...and then…

" **Uwaahh~!"**

"W-Whoa!" Shin exclaimed, as Silent Magician LV4 suddenly began clinging to his torso, bawling her eyes out. This, in turn, made everyone sweatdrop, at how sentimental she became.

" **T-That was the nicest thing someone ever said to meee!"** she continued crying, burying her face in Shin chest.

"Y-Yeah….no problem.." Shin said, awkwardly petting her head and let her cry everything out.

" **Say, why don't you join us?"** asked Dark Magician Girl, making Silent Magician turn towards her, her tears of joy ever present.

" **R-Really..? You'd want s-someone like me on your team..?"** she asked through hiccups.

" **Y-yeah...I'm sure Shi-chan can easily incorporate you in our deck...right Shi-chan?"** she asked, making Silent Magician's hopeful eyes turn to him.

"U-uh, yeah! Now that I got my cards back, I'm sure I can find some support cards for you in there." he said with a smile, making Silent Magician leak even more tears of joy.

Then, she began hugging Shin even more. Turning it into a bear hug. And, surprisingly, her small body packed a lot of force.

 ***crack**snap***

Enough force, to make Shin's spine release some worrying snapping sounds.

"O-Oi! You can let go now! Seriously…! I-I think you're breaking my spine..! And you're also getting snot all over my shirt..!" Shin managed to get out, as his lungs were being compressed by the hug.

Unfortunately, Silent Magician didn't look like she was going to let go anytime soon. So Shin desperately tried to pry her off, his Partner joining him.

All the while, Yami Shin and Eatos watched everything unfold.

"Say, how can a spirit get it's snot over someones shirt anyway?" Yami Shin asked blankly, to which Eatos shrugged.

" **I haven't the slightest idea. I just learned to ignore these kind of things..."** she said with a sweatdrop, after seeing Shin starting to turn blue from the lack of oxygen.

Seeing this too, Yami Shin released a sigh and walked over to the three.

Grabbing Silent Magician by the back of her shirt, he released some of his pressure on her, immediately making her turn rigid with fear, also getting her to straighten up and release Shin, who began gasping for air.

Holding her in the air like one would hold a pup, he dropped her in Dark Magician Girls hands and walked over to Shin. As soon as he left, she lost consciousness.

"Time's up. We need to switch." he said, whilst grabbing Shin's hand.

Then, he touched the eye of Wdjat on his medallion. The medallion the began to glow, enveloping Shin in a golden aura, after which, he dissipated.

Straightening back up, Shin opened his blue eyes, his medallions glow disappearing.

"Wow. That was weird." he stated, looking at his medallion. "Well, since that's that, how about we go back. I'm getting real tired for some reason..." he finished with a tired yawn. "What about you guys?" he asked the other spirits present. "Do you want to come back with us? I have more than enough room for you all."

The spirits looked at each other for a moment, before Key Mace turned back to Shin.

" **There's no need."** she said, making Shin raise an eyebrow. **"We've been here for so long, we feel at home. So don't worry about us! Silent Magician is the spirit for you. But feel free to visit from time to time!"** she finished with a smile.

"If that's what you wish, then so be it." Shin said, turning towards the entrance. "Let's go guys." he called to his spirits.

Then, Key Mace remembered something and called back to Shin.

" **Be careful out in the forest!"** she warned, making Shin turn back to her.

"Why?" he asked

" **There are dark forces lurking in the forest as of late. There's an evil presence lurking around the power plant in the forest. Make sure to stay clear of it."**

"I'll try my best. Thanks for the warning. Seeya." waving back one last time, Shin turned to the exit and began climbing the ladder, that magically appeared.

After making it to the top, Shin and his spirits began making their way back towards the dorm.

"What a night, huh?" Shin asked his two duel spirits, as Silent Magician was still out-for-the-count.

" **Yeah, what a night indeed..."** Dark Magician Girl said tiredly. Eatos nodding in agreement.

" **I just want to go sleep.."** she said, her eyelids getting heavy.

"You two are this tired after just that…? Shin asked with a sweatdrop, before yawning. "OK nevermind, I'm pooped too..." he said. "Heh. Today was full of surprises, but at least it ain't boring right?"

"" **True.""** his spirits agreed, after which they descended into silence.

After around ten minutes of walking and idle chat, Eatos asked a very important question.

" **Where are we?"** she asked, looking around.

They were currently in the middle of the forest, nothing but trees surrounding them.

"Pretty sure we're lost." Shin admitted casually.

" **Why are we lost, exactly?"** his Partner asked, Shin shrugging.

"Dunno. But I think I can hear something, so we can't be far from people." he said, whilst walking towards the sound, his spirits following.

As they got closer, the sound became more and more clear. And it wasn't a good sound…

" **Please tell me I'm not hearing electricity..."** Dark Magician Girl asked with a hopeful expression, as the sounds turned out to be electrical buzzing.

"You're paranoid..." Shin brushed off her concerns and kept walking toward the buzzing.

" **Master, Key Mace told us to stay away from the power plant, remember? I think we should turn back..."** Eatos advised, not wanting to put her Master in danger, especially when she and Dark Magician girl were this tired and couldn't really protect him.

"We're going to be fine. There was a lab in the forest as well. That's probably what we're hearing. Come on, we aren't in some Scooby Doo movie, where we wander right in the monsters lair. So there's no way we're at...the..." Shin began, before his expression turned blank, a distinct depressing background appearing behind them.

"...Power Plant…" he deadpanned, his left eye twitching. "I hate my luck sometimes..."

" **Do you think turning back would be a good idea now?"** Eatos asked, Dark Magician girl nodding in agreement.

"We'd be making a detour. The academy is just past the power plant. Might as well just go through it, before something happens. Let's go." he said, beginning to make his way through the power plant.

Quickly walking through the power plant, they managed to reach the exit…

"See? Nothing happened."

Unfortunately, Lady Luck was already asleep.

 **Hehehehe…**

Shin and his spirits heard a sinister laugh resound through the power plant, soon after the electricity began to intensify.

" **You just had to jinx us didn't you Shi-chan?"** Dark Magician Girl deadpanned.

"Sorry..."

 **What's this? A wandering soul ready to be sacrificed? Hehe…**

"You got the 'wandering' part, but care to repeat that last part…?!" Shin said, narrowing his eyes.

 **Oh? What's wrong? Did I struck a nerve? It's the truth though. You'll be my key to resurrection…**

"How about you show your face first? Then I can know who I need to crush…!" he said with venom. Eatos and Dark Magician Girl began feeling Shin's pressure.

 **Hahaha! My, such power! Yes, you will do just fine. After I absorb your life force, your power will make me unstoppable! I'll entertain you, in your final moments though...remember the face of your executioner..**

As the voice finished the sentence, the electricity surrounding them began going haywire, shooting towards the ground, where a form began to form…

"I should've guessed it would be you...Electricity is your thing after all ain't that right…

Jinzo?

The form that formed, stood at it's full height. Though highly transparent, Shin knew what monster it was, as he had seen it countless times during Jonouchi's duels.

" **Oh? So you know who I am? Well done. Now I won't have to introduce myself. Not that it would matter. Dead people can't remember, after all…"** Jinzo said with a sinister tone.

"So, you think you can kill me huh...?" Shin said, a cold edge to his tone and his hair masking his eyes.

" **Of course I can! A mere mortal like you can't possibly hope to withstand my awesome psychic powers!"** Jinzo boasted.

"Psychic powers huh…?" Shin said silently. Turning to his Partner, hair still covering his eyes, he asked "What time is it?"

" **I'd say around midnight. Why?"**

"We'd better hurry this up then..." he said turning back to Jinzo. "You said I can't withstand you psychic powers, no?

" **Naturally! You are merely human! You can't match up to a Duel Spirit of my caliber."**

"You obviously don't know how broad the world is kid..." Shin said, activating his Duel Disk. Seeing this amused Jinzo.

" **You think a Duel can help you? Hah! Don't be foolish boy!"** Jinzo started, bu then seemed to reconsider **"Actually, seeing you slowly fall into despair, before I absorb you may be entertaining...Fine then! As I promised, I'll entertain you child! But make sure to entertain me with your despair too! Otherwise, this Game of Darkness will be boring"** he declared, before a Duel Disk materialized on his arm.

Hearing that it would be a Game of Darkness, Shin's spirits got concerned.

" **Master, you don't have to do this! We can deal with him just fine!"** Eatos said, readying her sword.

" **She's right Shi-chan! Let us deal with this creep! We'll blast him back in the shadows!"**

"Don't." was Shin's simple command. Hearing the finality in his voice, the spirits reluctantly lowered their sword and magic wand. "I'll deal with this guy myself. I despise those who use others for their own gain. I shall send him where he belongs...just like **him**..!" he said, venom lace with his words. A brief image of his shattered memory flashed in his mind, subconsciously angering Shin, making his pressure even heavier. Realizing there was no talking him out of it, the spirits relented and went back into the deck, waiting to be called onto the field when they're needed.

" **Heh. That pressure of yours really is something else boy. I can feel it all the way to here. Truly frightening...But that's good! With that sort of power, I'll be unstoppable! Now, let's begin! I'm getting impatient, my sacrifice."**

"You'll soon regret crossing my path..." Shin said darkly, raising his head and revealing his eyes. Eyes, that were now flaring between Shin's regular eye color and heterochromia between blue and red.

"Now..."

"" **DUEL** /DUEL" **"** they shouted in unison, drawing their cards, followed by a strong gust of wind.

 **Jinzo: 4000 LP**

 **Shin: 4000 LP**

"You can go first." Shin said simply, his cold stare ever present.

" **Heh. Are you trying to make your demise come quicker? Fine then, I draw!"** Jinzo stated, as he drew his card. Using the electricity surrounding them, along with the Games of Darkness, Jinzo began slowly getting a solid body. **"I set a Monster and a face down. That should do it for now."**

 **Jinzo: 4000 LP**

"Then it's my turn. I draw!" Shin declared, his draw creating a small gust of wind. "I summon Skilled White Magician in ATK mode!" he said, the white garbed monster materializing on the field. "Skilled White Magician! Attack his face down monster!"

The white magician shot a white blast of magic at Jinzo's face down card, destroying it. Also revealing the monster.

" **Hah! Foolish boy! You destroyed my Cyber Jar! Now your Skilled White Magician is destroyed and we both reveal-"** Jinzo said. Before he got interrupted by an irritated Shin.

"I know what Cyber Jar does. I use it as well. So get on with it already!"

" **Humph! Eagerly awaiting your demise I see...Fine! I reveal my five cards!"** Jinzo stated, as five card projected on the field.

 _Armored Zombie – ATK Mode (1500/0)_

 _Morphing Jar -Set (700/600)_

 _Reflect Bounder -ATK Mode (1700/1000)_

 _Ectoplasmer -Hand_

 _Pot of Greed -Hand_

" **Those are my five cards. Your turn my sacrifice..."**

"Then here I go." Shin said naturally, his card projecting on the field.

 _Skilled Dark Magician -ATK Mode (1900/1700)_

 _Breaker the Magical Warrior -ATK Mode (1600/1000)_

 _Pot of Greed -Hand_

 _Dark Magician Girl -Hand (2000/1700)_

 _Buster Blader -Hand (2600/2300)_

" **Those are some powerful cards you have there boy. Especially that rare Dark Magician Girl card...too bad those cards won't help you anymore! I activate my trap!"** Jinzo shouted, as the face down flipped up. **"I chain, Crush Card Virus!"** he began laughing sinisterly, as a dark purple mist began emanating from the card, heading to Shin's Deck and Hand. **"When one of my monsters, that has 1000 or less ATK, is destroyed by battle, I can activate this card. Now, all Monsters with 1500 ATK or more in your Hand and Deck, will be sent straight to the Graveyard! Have fun trying to beat me now, hahaha!"**

"Are you trying to restrict my options, by decimating the cards in my Deck…?" he asked calmly, as he took out almost half of his Deck. "You are underestimating me...and that's a big mistake..."

Looking at the bottom card of his half of deck, he saw Eatos. And in his hand was his Partner, Dark Magician Girl. _'I'm sorry you two. Hang on a little while in there...this won't take much more.'_ he said in his mind, receiving positive answers.

" **Don't worry Master. We'll be fine."**

" **Kick his ass, Shi-chan!"**

He lightly smiled, hearing their responses and took the half of his deck in his hand, along with the monster on his field and in his hand, and discarded them to the Graveyard. Then, he focused back on the duel at hand.

" **Hehehe, how does it feel to discard your precious monsters to the Graveyard, my sacrifice? Are you beginning to feel the despair…?"** Jinzo asked in a sadistic tone.

"I endured worse hardships." came Shin's calm reply "Besides, they won't be there for long."

" **I beg to differ. Those monsters will stay in the Graveyard for quite a while. As long as my Crush Card Virus is in the Graveyard, you cannot Special summon the monsters you just discarded!"**

"Just a matter of time..." Shin said, picking up three cards from his hand, setting them on the field. "I set three cards and end my turn."

 **Shin: 4000 LP**

" **Then it's my turn again! I draw!"** Jinzo declared, drawing his card. **"Hmm...My hand could use some work, so I think I'll start by revealing my face down monster! Morphing Jar!"** he shouted, the hidden monster appearing on the field. **"I suppose I don't need to explain what this card does…?"** he asked, Shin simply discarding his hand and drawing five new cards. **"You're no fun boy. I want to see some of your despair, before I sacrifice you..."**

"I do not play with people like you...I put them back in their place..!" Shin said, his eyes beginning to emit gleaming streaks, heterochromia flaring dangerously in them. Though, for a split second, his face showed pain. However, it was gone before Jinzo could see it and get satisfaction.

" **Fine then! Sacrificing you, should provide enough entertainment, I guess. Now, I draw my own new cards."** he declared, before drawing his new cards. Hidden behind his mask, was a smirk. _'_ _Now I have all I need, to put my strategy in place. It won't be long now, before you are sacrificed boy...'_

' _So that is your plan…? Predictable.'_ Shin thought, whilst his medallion gave off a brief golden shine.

" **Heheh..So, are you ready to meet the instrument of your demise boy?"** Jinzo asked with a sinister chuckle.

"I'm afraid we'll have to make another appointment." Shin said simply, confusing Jinzo.

" **What do you mean boy?"**

"I mean this- Trap card activate!" he announced, as the card flipped up. "Mind Crush! With this, I call the name of a card and if that card happens to be in your hand, you discard all copies of it."

" **You forgot the fact that if you call it wrong, you have to discard a random card instead."**

"That won't be the case. I choose..." he started, Jinzo smirking behind the mask.

' _There's no way that brat could know.'_

"Malice Doll of Demise!" he shouted, shocking Jinzo.

" **WHAT?!"** he exclaimed, before two cards from his deck got ejected and sent to the Graveyard.

"I told you I'm not playing around." he said darkly, his eyes now flaring complete heterochromia, a tiny bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.

" **Tch! You may have gotten rid of the copies, but I still have the original! I summon Malice Doll of Demise in ATK mode!"** Jinzo announced, as the possessed looking doll appeared on the field, it's giant hatchet at the ready.

Malice Doll of Demise -LV4- (1600/1700)

" **And now, I activate the spell, Ectoplasmer! With this, the turn player must sacrifice one of their monsters during the End Phase, to inflict the same amount of damage to their opponent."** Jinzo explained, getting no response from Shin, yet again. This began irritating Jinzo. **"Still silent huh...No matter. You'll be screaming soon enough…!"** he said maliciously.

"Are going to get on with it already? We're burning night shade. I still have better things to do." Shin said blankly, angering Jinzo.

" **Why you impudent little..!"** he seethed, before releasing a sigh **"I commend your courage boy. You are extremely calm in your last moments. You realize, that this is the final turn, right? With my monsters and Ectoplasmer in play, your LP will be gone by the end of the turn."**

"Are you done?"

" **Grr..! That's it! Malice Doll of Demise, attack that little bastard! Spectral slash!"** Jinzo roared, it's monster obeying his command and lunging at Shin.

"..." Shin just kept silent and waited.

Upon reaching Shin, the doll raised it's hatchet over it's head and went for a downward slash.

However, the slash was cut short, as a crystal mirror appeared before the hatchet, stopping it in it's tracks.

" **What?!"**

"I activate the trap card, Mirror Force!" Shin announced, shocking Jinzo.

As if on cue, Malice Doll of Demise exploded, beam of the explosion shooting towards the rest of Jinzo's monsters, destroying them too, making Jinzo grimace behind it's mask.

" **Grr...I place two cards face down and end my turn..."** Jinzo grumbled, as the two cards appeared on the field. **"...You'll soon regret that boy…!"**

"Humph. My turn then. I draw!" Shin announced drawing his card. "This is the final turn it seems..." he said silently to himself.

"Time to start the end of this duel!" he declared. "First, I activate one of my face down cards! Pot of Greed!" he announced as he drew his two extra cards. "Then, I summon Silent Paladin in ATK Mode!" he declared, as the small, but developed, female warrior appeared.

Silent Paladin -LV4- (500/1500)

"When she is summoned, I can add one 'Silent Swordsman LV3' or 'Silent Magician LV4'. I choose, Silent Magician LV4! I also activate, Shield and Sword and with it, I switch Silent Paladin's ATK and DEF" he shouted, after which he drew the card, containing Silent Magician's spirit.

Silent Paladin -LV4- (1500/500)

" **..h-huh..?"** said spirit having just came to. **"S-Shin-sama? What's going on?"** she asked, making Shin raise an eyebrow at the name, but ignoring it for the moment.

"I need your help, to beat that creep over there." he said calmly, gesturing to Jinzo. Silent Magician came out of the card, only to cling to Shin's head upon seeing their enemy.

" **H-He's scary..!"** she cried silently.

' _Another scaredy cat in the family, huh?-..gh..!'_ he thought, before cringing in pain again, with Jinzo noticing this time.

" **What's wrong, boy? Feeling the effect of the Games of Darkness? That's good, hehe...With that weak monster of yours, I'll see more pain soon."** Jinzo said maliciously. By now, his body had fully materialized, however it was only sustained by the dark magic of the Games of Darkness.

"You wish…!" Shin cringed, due to pain his head was beginning to feel.

" **Shin-sama, are you alright…?"** Silent Magician asked, concerned for her new Master. They may have only met, but she didn't want to lose what she thought would be the only nice Master she'd have.

Seeing his worried Spirit, Shin managed to regain his poker face, to quell his Spirits worries.

"I'm fine Silent Magician. But back to the matter at hand, can you help me out?"

However, Silent Magician didn't look too ready…

" **W-Well…I don't really know Shin-sama. I mean, I'm only a spirit. Only a weak spirit at that...and we're up against a strong opponent...I don't know if I'm really that strong yet...I mean you definitely have more suited monster than me...as I was saying-"** Silent Magician said, before starting to derail, a depressing aura enveloping her and her words becoming 'mutter', beginning to constantly hit against Shin's face.

"You're supposed to say _'I'll do my best!'_ , Nonsense Magician!" Shin snapped comically.

 ***BONK***

Then, he bonked her on the head, snapping her out of her muttering.

" **Oww..."** she lightly whined, teary eyed and holding her head.

"We have a long way to go with you huh…?" Shin sweatdropped, before turning serious again. "Well, you learn fastest in the field so..."

Turning back to the duel, he took a card from his hand and began his turn.

"I activate, Double Summon! And with it, I summon Silent Magician LV4!" he declared, Silent Magician becoming surprised, upon finding herself on the field.

" **Shin-sama?! I thought I told you I'm not suited for this!"** she whined scared.

"You're more suited than you think. And I'll show you that soon. But first, I activate Soul Release!" he shouted, as five hands of light went into Jinzo's Graveyard, pulling out five cards.

" **Huh?! My cards! What did you do boy?!"**

"You'll see, soon enough. Now, I activate, Pot of Avarice! And with it, I add five cards from MY Graveyard back to my deck, after which I draw two cards." Shin stated, as he shuffled the five cards into his deck, then drew two new cards. Silent Magician then turned back to him, an unsure look on her face.

" **W-What now, Shin-sama…?"**

"I'm showing you your true power." Shin explained calmly. "I activate, Level Up!" he declared, as the card flipped up. "As the name implies, I bring Silent Magician to a new Level!" he said, as Silent Magician became fully enveloped in a golden light, Shin's Duel Disk and medallion lighting up as well, a new energy layer projecting itself on the top of his deck.

"By sending Silent Magician LV **4** to the Graveyard, I can special summon.." he announced, drawing the energy layer on top of his deck.

"Silent Magician LV **8**!"

Slamming his energy card on his Duel Disk's energy blade, Silent Magician's form grew in size, soon revealing her new form.

Silent Magician LV8 (3500/1000)

..Also leaving Shin's mouth slightly agape.

On Silent Magician's card, now stood a tall beautiful woman with long silver white hair. A white and blue dress with elongated shoulder pads now adorned her mature body, hugging it tightly. Slits on the side of her dress revealed the flawless skin of her thighs. On her hands, were white gloves and on her head, was a big white witch hat, a large ornament hanging from the side. In her hands, she held her magical scepter.

But what left Shin's mouth agape, was something else…

' _What's up with all you female Magicians and your lack of panties?!..'_ Shin thought comically, after taking a look at her dress's slits, his eyes briefly returning to blue and his face turning red…

' _...But damn, with that dress, her backside doesn't leave anything to the imagination… Score!'_ Shin thought, regaining his teenage tendencies, before feeling himself, rather his mind, kicked back into it's previous state, his eyes returning to heterochromia along with his headache and seriousness.

Opening her, now blue, eyes, Silent Magician was surprised.

" **I'm not a child anymore…?"** she said in her now mature voice. She began studying her new body and clothes, before her hands landed on her chest.

 ***squeeze***

" **I even have big breasts..."** she marveled with a blush, whilst squeezing her boobs, before the sound of someone clearing their throat loudly snapped her out of her trance.

" **A-HEM! We're still in the middle of something here! And how do you have a Level 8 Monster on your field?!"** Jinzo shouted annoyed.

"I say you enjoy what little moments you have left in this world. This duel is about over." Shin said blankly, ignoring Jinzo's last comment...a part of him wanting to keep watching Silent Magician...'rediscover' herself.

" **I'm not so sure about that!"** Jinzo stated knowingly, looking at one of his face downs. _'Setting Magic Cylinder was indeed a smart choice after all. I need only to activate it when his Silent Magician attacks and Ectoplasmer will end the duel, no matter what monster he chooses! My strategy is foolproof!'_

What he didn't know however, was that against Shin, one could say goodbye to whatever luck they relied on.

"Well I for one, am certain this duel will end this turn!" Shin declared, taking the card he needed, to set his winning strategy in motion.

' _You're right about that my sacrifice...'_

"Remember that Soul Release card I played? It's time to use the after effects." he declared, confusing Jinzo.

" **What after effects?"**

Shin smirked at that.

"Have you checked your Graveyard yet? If not, let me tell you that your Crush Card Virus is gone!" Shin stated, making Jinzo quickly check his Graveyard, seeing that his Crush Card Virus, along with four other cards were gone.

" **What is the meaning of this boy?! What have you done to my cards?!"** he shouted.

"Soul Release, is a card that, when activated, will banish 5 cards of my choosing from your Graveyard." That's when it clicked in Jinzo's mind

' _No! That's how he was able to summon that Silent Magician LV8! That's what he meant…!'_ he thought, remembering what Shin said, after he sent the Crush Card Virus to the Graveyard.

' _Just a matter of time...'_

"And now that your Crush Card Virus is no longer in your Graveyard, my monsters are free to return to the field. Something I already took advantage of. And now, to put the icing on the cake, I activate..." he declared, raising his card high, said card glowing.

"Monster Reborn!" he declared, to which his Graveyard slot started shining. "Retake the stage Partner! I Special Summon, Dark Magician Girl!"

 _ **-Cue Dark Magician Girl's Japanese Theme-**_

From the ground next to Silent Magician, a pink whirlwind started. Becoming slightly see through, a form could be made visible. As the whirlwind cleared, the form was made completely visible.

Long blonde hair, coupled with green eyes in a blue and pink costume. A constant pink blush on her cheeks. Adjusting her giant hat, she winked with a smile, before doing a twirl and landing on her own card.

Dark Magician Girl -LV6- (2300/1700)

" **I knew I'd join the party sooner or later~"** she winked to Shin, who had a small smile on his face. Then she turned to Silent Magician, with a surprised look. **"I didn't expect to see you all grown up and ready to go when I came back though. 3500 ATK, huh? Shi-chan, she's now the strongest Monster in this Deck! We definitely made the right choice with her!"** she said with a thumbs up, making Silent Magician blush. **"And look at them boobies~ They might be even bigger than mine~"** she cooed, eyeing Silent Magician's breasts. Instead of covering herself and being embarrassed however…

" **I know right? They're so soft too~"** Silent Magician cooed, her and Dark Magician Girl linking hands and gaining starry eyes for some reason.

This, made Shin AND Jinzo sweatdrop.

"A-hem! Matter at hand please." Shin urged, feeling his headache become very severe.

"" **Oh right...""** the two Magicians said awkwardly, while separating and going back to their cards.

Sighing, Shin returned to his strategy.

"Now, I activate the spell card, Dark Burning Magic!" he announced, as Dark Magician Girl smirked and got ready for what was about to follow.

" **What is that…?"** Jinzo asked fearful of what was going to happen.

"If I control a monster, whose original name is 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl', then I can use 'Dark Burning Magic' to destroy all cards my opponent controls!" Shin declared, making Jinzo despair.

' _No! If he destroys my Magic Cylinder, **I'm** going to be the one who's done for…!'_ he thought, sweating bullets.

"Go Partner!" he shouted, Dark Magician Girl taking to the sky and charging her attack of dark magic.

"" **Dark Magic Burning!""** Shin and Dark Magician Girl shouted in unison, as Dark Magician Girl launched the ball of dark magic towards Jinzo's field, annihilating his two face down cards.

Now, Jinzo became truly afraid. His last defense was down and Shin had the necessary power, to annihilate Jinzo's LP right now.

"I told you this duel would end this turn." Shin said with finality. Dark Magician Girl, along with Silent Paladin and Magician gained game faces, preparing to blast Jinzo into a new age, as soon as Shin gave the command.

"Silent Paladin! Attack Jinzo directly!" Shin ordered, the female warrior nodding and lunging for Jinzo, slashing him across the torso.

 **Jinzo: 2500 LP**

"Partner?" Shin needed only to ask, before his partner nodded.

" **Right!"** she replied, while charging her attack.

Jinzo finally seemed to notice something about Dark Magician Girl. The fact that her dark magic attack seemed to be bigger and more powerful. Then it hit him.

" **H-Hold on! Dark Magician Girl should only have 2000 ATK! How did she gain an extra 300 ATK?!"** Jinzo shouted while pointing at Dark Magician Girl, who by now had charged her attack fully.

"Dark Magician Girl has a special ability. The ability to surpass her Masters! For each 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician of Chaos' in the Graveyard, she gains and additional 300 ATK!" Shin declared, as a shadow of a Magician appeared behind him, shocking Jinzo.

" **What?! B-But when…! No wait..i-it couldn't have..!"** he shouted, before remembering his own card. _'My Crush Card Virus! I helped him without even knowing!...But..wait. That means...'_ he thought, before paling completely. _'He planned_ _that far ahead_ _…?! Just who is this kid..?!'_

"Dark Magician Girl, attack Jinzo directly! **Dark Burning!** " he shouted.

" **Hah!"** Dark Magician Girl called, as she launched the attack towards Jinzo, who could only brace for the impact.

The impact, which caused a small explosion of dark magic to ensue, covering Jinzo.

 **Jinzo: 200 LP**

When the smoke cleared, Jinzo was left badly injured. His body beginning to flicker between a solid body and his spirit one.

"And now, for the Grand Finale. Silent Magician!" he announced, his monster only nodding once.

" **Right away, Shin-sama!"** she said, twirling her magic scepter in her hands, before raising it high. A ball of light began forming at the tip of her Magic Scepter.

"Any last words, before I send you back to the shadows?" Shin asked the flickering Jinzo.

" **Just...Who are you…?"** Jinzo panted out.

"The name…" Shin began, his heterochromic eyes glowing brightly.

.

.

.

..Is Shintaro Akami!

" **Then...Shintaro...I...will make sure you pay for this...I will remember your face...and those eyes…!"** Jinzo growled with the last bit of strength that he had.

" **Shin-sama! I'm ready!"** Silent Magician called, ready to attack.

"When you get to Hell, tell him I said 'Hi'..." Shin said blankly, before Silent Magician went to attack.

" **I...will make sure…!"** Jinzo started, his body flickering violently.

"" **Silent Burning!""** Shin and Silent Magician shouted, as she launched the attack, that was now fast approaching Jinzo.

" **I'LL MAKE SURE YOU SUFFER A MOST HORRIBLE DEATH!"** Jinzo shouted with the last of his strength, before Silent Magician's attack landed, completely erasing him out of existence.

All that was left behind, was a giant crater, where Jinzo once stood.

"Get in line..." Was all Shin said, while looking at the crater. _'Who was no match for whose psychic powers again…?'_

" **Woah. I didn't know holograms could blast craters into the ground.."** Dark Magician Girl remarked, as the holograms began to disappear. Dark Magician Girl and Silent Magician LV8 returning to their spirit forms.

"They can't." was Shin's short reply.

Before his Partner could question it, however, she heard the sound of something collapsing behind her. Quickly turning around, she saw Shin lying face down in the dirt, motionless.

" **Shi-chan?!"** she exclaimed, immediately hurrying to her downed Partner. Turning him over, she noticed he was completely knocked out, blood beginning to drip from his nose.

Silent Magician also went over, unsure of what happened.

" **I-Is he going to be alright…?"** she asked concerned. However, Dark Magician Girl began losing her cool.

" **I-I don't know! This never happened before! Shi-chan? Shi-chan!?"** she began shaking him, trying desperately to wake Shin up.

"Ah!" Shin exclaimed, waking up with a startle. Also surprising Silent Magician, Eatos, who came out because of DMG's panicking and of course, speaking of Dark Magician Girl…

" **Shi-chaaann~!"**

"guh-!"

As soon as she saw Shin woke up, his teary eyed Partner tackled him into a hug and was now hugging the daylights out of him. However, Silent Magician and Eatos sweatdropped, upon seeing that Shin was in another predicament.

' _I..can't breathe…!'_ Shin thought, his face turning blue.

Since Dark Magician Girl's natural reflex, when hugging Shin, was to get him flustered…She subconsciously hugged Shin's head between her 'pillows'. In the process, cutting off Shin's air income.

" **U-Uhh...Dark Magician Girl…?"** Eatos said, getting her attention.

" **Shin-sama is...sort of..."** Silent Magician tried to say, however her shy nature didn't really help her.

" **Huh? What is it?"** DMG asked confused, Shin's arms going almost completely limp.

" **You're suffocating Master."** Eatos deadpanned, making Dark Magician Girl look at Shin's blue and unconscious face, making her panic again.

" **Nooo! Shi-chaaan! Wake uuuuppp!"** she cried, trying to shake Shin awake, requiring Eatos to calm her down again, Silent Magician taking over in trying to wake Shin up.

Hours later, after Silent Magician finally got Shin to wake up properly, him and his spirits went back to the Slifer Red dorm. Of course…

"Why do I always end up in this situation…?" Shin asked, as Dark Magician Girl cuddled up to him. She currently had a firm grasp on his head, keeping it on her boobs. Fortunately not suffocating him this time. She also kept her left leg on his stomach as well.

Since it was around 1 AM, they went straight to bed. Since he scared her with his fainting, Dark Magician Girl jumped in bed with Shin and refused to let him go until the morning. As for Shin, he was now thinking back on his encounter with Jinzo.

' _It's strange...I apparently won the duel...but I can't even remember it'_ the boy thought, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. _'Just what happened…? Did my other self take over again…?'_ he thought, before releasing a sigh. Looking up at the ceiling, Shin decided to let it be for the moment, and drifted off to sleep.

Inside a dark room, sat on something similar to a throne was Shin's alter ego. Arms crossed, he sat in complete silence, his soft breathing being the only audible thing. And then, he opened his gleaming red eyes, staring off into the darkness.

"That duel..." he began, his eyes seemingly beginning to give off a faint glow. "There's no question. We came together during that duel...the **real** Shin" he mumbled. And then, without moving his head, he glanced to the side. "Looks like your presence within the Pendant is finally beginning to shine through"

He waited, and although he didn't hear it, he knew he got an answer.

"After all this time..." he breathed out, allowing a tiny smile to appear on his face. "Asuka Tenjoin. Meeting you couldn't have been a mere coincidence. You must be the cure Fate has given us." in front of him, a mirage showing Asuka appeared. And next to her, another image appeared.

It was a woman, looking to be in her early twenties, wearing a sky blue shirt and a black cardigan over it, as well as regular blue jeans. She had long, wavy blonde hair reaching to her lower thighs, and bright blue eyes, as well as one of the warmest smiles imaginable on her face.

Looking at the woman, Yami Shin's smile grew a little.

"You were the best anyone could ask for...but that monster took you away, and left us in this state" he scowled lightly, a brief image appearing in front of him, before vanishing. And then, Yami Shin's sights landed on Asuka. "But don't worry...She is the one to help Shin get over the trauma...I'm certain of it."

Waving his hand once, the images vanished, leaving Yami Shin in complete darkness, his gleaming red eyes being the only things to pierce through it. And then, his eyes sharpened.

' _Jinzo...the rat somehow managed to escape. And I'm certain we'll hear of him again, in the future...'_

 **And that's the chapter!**

 **Edited: 09.02.2018**

 **-Now you may be wondering. Why the edit? Well, let me enlighten you.**

 **You see, this chapter was written after a pretty bad cold. Something I hadn't dealt with in a long time. Which means, I wasn't actually 100% while writing the chapter. And I didn't realize it.**

 **The duel was written before I got said cold, so that's how I wanted it. However.**

 **You may have noticed that the little conversation between Shin and Yami Shin is gone. That's because it was a bunch of BS. I'll be honest.**

 **I don't know why I actually wrote that. Could've been the cold having left me a little loopy, me being tired or, most likely, Shin's backstory not being 100% thought through. It still isn't 100%, however it's a whole different story from when this chapter was written. The backstory as it is now, is the official backstory. No major changing whatsoever.**

 **I decided to edit this chapter, because the story told in this chapter, differs too much from what is actually going on. Inconsistencies, if you will. On that note, I'll have to review all other previous chapters as well, and edit them if need be.**

 **Now that the chapter tells the actual story it needs to, the story makes a little more sense. I'll be honest, the story will definitely be rewritten at some point. I don't know when, but it could be. Heck, the rewrite could happen after/ during Shin's life in 5D's era.**

 **So yeah, I think this is it for this quick update. And while I'm on the subject, the reviewing I talked about above will take some time. That means updates may slower than usual. There will definitely be a new chapter next week, but the weeks after that are a big question marks. So please, bear with me.**

 **Now, see you next time~**

 **Bye~**


	7. Chapter 6

**You guys made this~**

Chapter 6: Dangers of the Games of Darkness

"Man, I slept like a rock last night..." Shin yawned, stretching a little.

After the whole Jinzo fiasco, Shin had managed to catch up on the sleep he lost on the first day. Of course, anyone would sleep like that, with such nice company.

" **Mmm~ Morning already?"** came the voice of Shin's partner, as she raised her, now translucent body, and stretched.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Shin looked at the clock.

"Still got plenty of time before class starts." he said, throwing the covers off, and making his way toward his private bath. Before entering, he turned to his Partner. "You sleep alright?"

" **Oh yeah, I slept just fine~"** she sang, bouncing out of bed. **"What about you, Shi-chan? Are you okay after that whole ordeal?"** she asked concerned. Shin, however, just smiled and bobbed his head.

"Yeah I'm fine. I have this little ringing in my head, but nothing serious." he said, tapping the side of his head a couple of times, as if trying to get rid of the mysterious ringing. He then opened the door to his closet, and entered the bathroom.

A couple minutes later, Shin returned, hair still a little damp and a towel around his shoulders.

" **How do you like the bath Shi-chan?"** Dark Magician Girl asked from Shin's bed. Looking over Shin saw her back in her usual uniform.

"It's pretty nice." Shin answered, taking a change of clothes out of his closet. Then, he turned to his new uniform on the night stand. "Pretty sure you're going to have to use that magic trick again though." he remarked.

" **Hm? What do you mean?"** DMG asked, tilting her head to the side. Shin pointed at his Ra uniform.

"Seto-chan placed me in Ra Yellow remember?" he said. "We're gonna switch dorms today."

" **Oh that's right! Hehe...Guess I forgot~"** she said, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. **"I'm afraid that new bath is going to have to wait for a bit."**

"What do you mean?" Shin asked, putting his new jacket on. Dark Magician Girl then gestured to herself. Namely her translucent spirit form.

" **I may or may not have overused my solid form during the night. Gotta recharge my batteries, y'know?"** she admitted, floating off the bed. **"I need to do some things back in the Spirit Realm as well. If you need anything, you know what to do~"** she said, floating over to Shin, and giving him a quick peck on the cheek before returning to his deck.

"She just loves kissing me doesn't she…?" Shin asked himself quietly. Then he grabbed his own cheek, and pulled on it slightly. "...Huh. Well, I guess my face **is** kind of squishy... Oh well, not like I don't enjoy free kisses~" he sang, heading towards the door. Just before he opened it however, he looked back at himself. "I can't help but feel this was kind of rushed...Hmm what to do, what to do..." he pondered, whist leaving his dorm room.

Walking along the shore line, Shin admired the sunrise on the horizon, enjoying the warm rays of sun and fresh air.

Before he knew it, he had reached the schools front gate. And as he did, the whispers started.

"Hey, isn't that Shin? The Slifer who managed to beat Kenji?" A female Obelisk asked her friends.

"That's him. I haven't seen him since he left with Seto Kaiba yesterday.." one of her friends whispered back.

"Yeah, that's weird isn't it? How does a Slifer know someone like Seto Kaiba?"

"Wait, if he's a Slifer, then why is he wearing a Ra uniform?"

"You're right!"

' _Oh man, here we go… Dammit Seto-chan!'_ Shin cursed, making his way into the academy.

Walking through the academy's halls, ignoring whispers along the way, Shin was approaching his class, when he bumped into someone familiar.

"Shin!" Asuka exclaimed surprised. "Where were you this entire time? We were worried!"

"Oh uhh...well. After I finished with Seto-chan, I returned to the arena, just in time to see Judai kick Manjoume's butt." Shin explained. "I just thought that was Judai's moment and didn't want to interrupt. So I left and took a stroll through the forest to take care of some business. And I may or may not have gotten lost for a while~" he admitted awkwardly. "But hey, at least I found my way back!"

Asuka simply stared at him wide eyed.

"You went in the forest at night all alone?" she asked incredulously.

"Yep!" Shin answered, his childish self shining through.

"..." Asuka said nothing, but kept staring blankly at the grinning Shin. "...Do I need to tell you why going into the forest all alone is a bad idea?" she sighed, making Shin gain a curious face.

"Wait, are we **not** supposed to go exploring the forest?" Shin asked, genuinely curious.

"Of course we aren't. Just because the academy is on this island, doesn't mean we are allowed to venture too far. There are dangerous animals in there you know? Not to mention you would have been in big trouble if the Ethics Committee caught you." she explained.

"You know, I was thinking the same thing last night." Shin admitted. "But why would the Ethics Committee get involved?" he asked.

Asuka remained quiet for a minute. Then, she looked around, confirming they were alone in the hallway.

"There's something in the forest that is completely off-bounds for us students." she told Shin, as they neared their classroom. "If you accidentally ended up there, and the Ethics Committee found you, you could have faced expulsion."

"Wait expulsion?!" Shin exclaimed. "What in the world is in there that grants expulsion?" he asked baffled.

"If I told you, you would go exploring." Asuka deadpanned, making a sweatdrop appear on Shin's face.

"W-Well...You're not wrong..." he admitted awkwardly. "But, to be fair." he continued, raising his hands in a surrendering position. "I would go exploring either way." he finished.

' _That's what I thought...'_ Asuka sighed in her mind. Looking up, she saw they had reached the classroom.

"Meet me in front of the Girls Dorm after school today. I'll tell you more then." she said, before walking through the door, leaving Shin alone in the hallway.

' _...Well that was a thing.'_ Shin thought, staring at the door. _'But man...Risking expulsion, just for venturing out into the forest...Somethings not right.'_ he deduced, a light frown making it's way on his face. _'First Jinzo, and now this mysterious thing? I think I'm going to have to make some research on my own...'_

As Shin was lost in his train of thoughts, Prof. Chronos rounded the corner. Of course, he was still pretty miffed at Manjoume's loss, especially with all the rare cards he provided him. But, all those thoughts disappeared, upon seeing Shin in front of the door, clad in Yellow.

' _Signore Shin is wearing yellow? Does this mean he was placed in the Ra yellow dorm? Yes! My plan is working! Now he's going to be away from those slackers!'_ he thought, a big smirk making it's way on Chronos's face.

"A good morning to you, Signore Shin!" Chronos greeted, snapping Shin out of his thinking.

Turning towards the professor, Shin saw Chronos approaching him, a big smile plastered on his face.

' _That's not creepy at all...'_ Shin thought with a sweatdrop. Shaking his head, Shin greeted the professor.

"Good morning prof. Chronos."

"A good morning indeed. Ready for class?" the professor asked.

"Well, as ready as I'll always be, I guess." Shin said simply, shrugging his shoulders.

"Hmm, I couldn't help but notice that you're wearing yellow, Signore Shin. What brought the change, if I may?" Chronos asked, curious as to how Shin was transferred to yellow.

"Oh this?" he said, looking at his yellow jacket. "Seto-chan just, sort of gave it to me and said I was now in Ra yellow. Couldn't really argue, as he left immediately after." he deadpanned.

"Ah yes, Mister Kaiba does have that sort of authority." Chronos nodded. But then he smiled some more. "But I wouldn't worry, Signore Shin! Ra Yellow is a much better dorm than Slifer Red, trust me. You'll like it there." he said, grinning internally. _'And it's only a matter of time until you reach Obelisk Blue!'_

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see." Shin said, before following Asuka's example and entering the classroom. And as he did…

"Shin! There you are! You went all Carmen Sandiego on us yesterday!" came Judai's voice, as he rushed to greet his friend.

"It's only an island Judai. Pretty sure you would have found me at one point or another." Shin replied, as he gave Judai a quick bro fist.

"Yeah, but you missed my duel with Manjoume!" Judai complained. However, Shin just smiled.

"Oh I didn't miss it. I came back just in time to see the end." he explained, surprising Judai.

"Oh you did?" he asked, receiving a nod in return. "Oh, I didn't see ya then!" he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Then you saw me win against him right?" Judai asked, Manjoume, who was sitting a ways off, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"That I did. And it was a very nice finish if I do say so myself." Shin praised his friend. "You and Winged Kuriboh are really starting to be a good team."

"Heheh~" Judai scratched his head awkwardly, blushing at the compliments.

"Alright class, settle down!" came Chronos's voice, as he entered the class and went over to his desk. "We'll be covering a very special topic today!" he announced, as Judai went to his designated seat, while Shin sat next to Asuka this time, as her usual neighbor wasn't present.

"What topic is that prof. Chronos?" an Obelisk asked. Chronos, grinned wide.

"We'll be talking about the famed God Cards today!" he announced, surprising everyone present.

"The God Cards?!" Judai exclaimed. "That's awesome! I really want to hear about this!"

"But prof. Chronos, how are we going to be covering them? The cards supposedly don't exist anymore." Misawa pointed out.

"You are right, Signore Daichi. The original cards no longer exist. That's why, we will be using footage from the Battle City Tournament Finals for this lesson." Chronos pointed out, as the giant screen behind up lit up, showing several files containing video footage from Battle City.

"Let's start things off, shall we?" he asked the class. "We'll start off easy. Can someone tell me how many God Cards there are, and what their names are?"

As the question left Chronos's mouth, Shin's hand immediately shot up.

"Signore Shin, please go ahead." Chronos said. Shin decided to stay seated for this answer.

"There are three known 'God Cards'. All three are Level 10, Divine-Beast/Effect Monsters, and their names are,

Slifer the Sky Dragon

Obelisk the Tormentor

"..And The Winged Dragon of Ra. Those are the three Egyptian God Cards." Shin finished his explanation.

"Bravo, Signore Shin! A most perfect answer." Chronos praised. Then, he took a remote, and pressed play.

On the giant monitor, one of the video footage began playing.

It was the video footage of Yugi summoning Slifer the Sky Dragon for the first time in the preliminaries against Yami Bakura. Everyone, bar Shin, were watching intently as Atem drew and summoned Slifer the Sky Dragon, and finished Yami Bakura, ending the duel. The video footage stopped there.

"Alright." Chronos said, pausing the screen. "Let's start from the bottom. Can any of you tell me something about Slifer the Sky Dragon and it's abilities?" he asked the class.

Of course, Shin's hand immediately went up. However, Chronos picked Misawa this time. Misawa stood up, and began answering.

"As Shin said earlier, Slifer the Sky Dragon is a level 10 Monster, falling under the Divine-Beast category. It's first special effect, gives it 1000 ATK points for every card in the players hand, which theoretically means it's attack can rise to 60000 ATK. It's second ability allows it to shave 2000 ATK off any Monster that was Special Summoned in it's presence. If the targets ATK drops to zero due to Slifer's ability, then that monster is destroyed." Misawa explained, sitting back down. Chronos gave a round of applause.

"Well done Signore Daichi, well done indeed!" he said. He then pressed play, once again.

This time, the video footage showed Kaiba summoning Obelisk the Tormentor in his duel with Ishizu Ishtar. Chronos paused the video, before Kaiba sacrificed Obelisk to summon Blue Eyes White Dragon, and win the duel.

"Alright then. On to our own Dorm's mascot. Signora Asuka, could you enlighten us on Obelisk the Tormentor and it's abilities?" he asked. Asuka nodded, and stood up.

"Obelisk the Tormentor, a level 10 Divine-Beast monster, and one of the three Egyptian God Cards. It's base power is 4000, for both it's ATK and DEF. By tributing two monsters on your side of the field, Obelisk can destroy all monsters your opponent controls or inflict 4000 points of direct damage to your opponents LP." Asuka finished, sitting back down. Looking next to her, she saw Shin clapping soundlessly, a big grin on his face. This brought on an awkward smile on Asuka's face.

"A wonderful answer, Signora Asuka! As is to be expected." Chronos grinned. As he was about to play the next video, Judai spoke.

"Professor Chronos, hold on a sec." he said, making Chronos turn to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Something wrong, Signore Judai?" he asked flatly.

"Well, I was wondering. Obelisk the Tormentor belonged to Seto Kaiba right?" Judai asked, getting a nod in return. "Then, maybe Shin can tell us something about Obelisk, that no one else knows. You know, since he knows Kaiba and all." he suggested, turning everyone's attention on Shin, who started to shrink in his seat, in an attempt to get away from all of the attention.

"Hmm, that's actually an interesting suggestion. Well done slacker. You did good for once." Chronos remarked, nodding his head in approval. "Signore Shin, is there anything you could add to Signora Asuka's explanation?" he asked sweetly.

"Well...Except for the fact that all God Cards are generally unaffected my most Spell and Traps, I don't know what else there is." Shin said. "But, I recall Seto-chan once saying that by tributing two specific Monsters, one could raise Obelisks attack to infinity for a single turn." he remarked.

"Hmm, well that's certainly interesting. Thank you for sharing that bit of information with us, Signore Shin." Chronos grinned. He then took the remote, and pressed play again.

The final video showed Yami Marik, summoning the Winged Dragon of Ra after retrieving it from Mai, using it to win the duel. However, it didn't end there. The footage also showed Yami Marik using Ra's Phoenix mode in his Duel with Jonouchi, and Ra's Point-to-Point Transfer in his final Duel against Yugi and Atem.

"Now then." Chronos announced, freezing the screen once again. "On to our final stage. The Winged Dragon of Ra. Who can tell me about it and it's abilities?" he asked.

Surprisingly, no one raised their hands. That was most likely because Ra, was the most unexplored of the three Egyptian Gods. Besides what was saw on the footage, no one really knew for certain what Ra's abilities actually were. No one, except for the owner of a mess of black and golden hair.

Since no one seemed up for it, Shin raised his hand, ready to educate these students on how dangerous Ra actually was.

"Alright then, Signore Shin! Please enlighten us."

"Ahem." Shin cleared his throat. "The Winged Dragon of Ra, the last of the three Egyptian Gods, and arguably, the strongest." he declared, surprising some of the students. "A level 10, Divine-Beast monster, who's real strength, lies within it's many special effects.

It's first effect, grants Ra an ATK equal to the combined ATK power of the three monsters used to Tribute Summon him. If Special Summoned, Ra's ATK will remain 0.

Ra's second effect, is it's 'Phoenix Mode'. By using this affect, Ra enters an invincible state, where it's completely immune to all Card Effects, and can destroy one of your opponents monster instantly, without actually attacking. However, it can only be activated if Ra were to be Special summoned.

It's third effect, is called 'Instant Attack'. As the name suggests, activating this effect, allows Ra to attack instantly, during either players turn. The attack cannot be negated, and also allows Ra to attack all monsters your opponent controls, as well as their LP directly.

Finally, Ra's last ability, is called 'Point-to-Point Transfer'. Or, you could simply call it the 'One Turn Kill'. Demonstrated in Battle City's final duel, Marik used this ability to transfer his own LP as ATK points to Ra. You can also sacrifice other monsters on your side of the field, to add to Ra's ATK. Additionally, by using the Spell Card 'De-Fusion', you can reverse the effect, and transfer Ra's ATK back to you as LP.

"Utilizing these effects in the same turn, means a certain victory." Shin finished.

The whole class was quiet until…

" **Bravo** , Signore Shin! Excellent answer, down to the finest detail!" Chronos praised, a giant smile on his face. Shin simply nodded his head and sat back down.

And as he did, Asuka leaned over, getting his attention.

"How did you know all of that, Shin-kun? Everyone else was clueless." she whispered, as Chronos began rambling about something else in the background.

Gaining a teasing smile, Shin suddenly faced Asuka. By that, he literally leaned right in front of her face, making a tiny blush appear, due to the close proximity. Then, he grinned childishly.

"Sure I'll tell you~" he sang, peeking Asuka's interest. Due to that, she unknowingly began leaning forward slowly. To the untrained eye, it looked like they were about to kiss. "If..." Shin said silently, leaning forward a little bit.

"If…?" Asuka repeated, completely oblivious to the fact that their noses were millimeters apart. Shin grinned widely.

"If you take the plunge and kiss me in front of the whole class~" he sang, immediately snapping Asuka out of her trance.

Returning to her senses, Asuka noticed that everything was dead quiet. Chronos had stopped talking, and none of the student whispers could be heard. Except…

"Oh my goodness, are they really going to do this…?" Asuka heard a hushed voice of one of the girls behind her.

Looking around, she saw **everyone** watching her and Shin intently, wanting to know what was going to happen.

Manjoume, of course, was fuming. Evident in the fact that he was glaring daggers at Shin. Most of the other Obelisks could only watch on wide eyed. The same could be said for the Ra students, while the Slifer Red students were in absolute shock, that someone who was in Slifer Red, yesterday, could make the Queen of Obelisk fall for them so fast.

Misawa and Sho, were watching everything unfold with wide eyes and massive blushes, while Judai seemed actually interested in what was going to happen next.

Chronos himself was watching everything unfold, eyes wide as dinner plates.

Realizing the situation, Asuka's face promptly lit up in the darkest shade of red possible, which she then buried in her hands from embarrassment. If one would look close, one could see steam coming out from her ears.

And then, laughter resounded through the room.

"Ahahahah~! Oh my goodness, that reaction was priceless! Ahahaha~" Shin laughed, rolling on the floor and holding his sides. As he was busy on the floor laughing, he failed to notice the ominous aura, beginning to envelop Asuka, who raised her face and glared at Shin, a dangerous smile on her face.

"Shin-kun..." Asuka said ominously, reaching for something behind her back. All students around her had made the wise decision to get away from her, as to not incur her wrath as well. Unfortunately, Shin didn't get the memo yet.

"Ohohohoo~ I-I'm sorry Asuka-chan, but that was hilarious...aha~" Shin got out, beginning to stand up. Though, as he did, he began feeling a cold shiver running down his back. A familiar feeling to Shin, who spent most of his time as a child around women. What he was feeling right now...

' _...Is a woman being **very** pissed...' _he gulped, slowly turning around. And as he did, he saw Asuka, her ominous aura present, a giant paper fan clutched in her hand. And she was staring at Shin, like a predator looking at it's prey.

"I hope you enjoyed that little stunt you just pulled, Shin-kun~" she said sweetly, making Shin take a step back in pure terror. By now, everyone else was either hiding or ducking, too afraid to try and stop Asuka.

"A-Asuka-chan...C-Can we please just, t-talk this out…?" Shin pleaded, hoping she would be merciful. Unfortunately for him…

"Nope~" Asuka denied it instantly, her smile still present. And as she raised her paper fan, Shin had but one thought.

' _...Crap.'_

 **TWHACK!**

The loud noise, of something whacking something else, resounded through the entire academy. Even Samejima heard it, and shivered a bit.

' _There's no mistaking it. That's the wrath of a woman...I pity the poor chap who angered a female.'_ he thought, with a small shiver, feeling pity for the unfortunate chap.

Figuring the poor fellow might need some medical assistance, Samejima leaned over his desk, pressing a button on his computer. Then, the bell rang through the academy, signaling recess.

' _This should give the poor man enough time to get to Emi, and get patched up.'_ he thought, wishing the unfortunate man good luck, before returning to his work.

Back in Shin's class, the door to the classroom opened, Asuka stomping out of the room, a miffed expression on her face.

Inside the classroom, Judai, Misawa and Sho had gathered around something. That something, was poor Shin, who was currently lying motionless on the ground, smoke coming out from the back of his head.

"I pity you Shin, but I'll be honest, and say you deserved it." Misawa said, looking at his downed friend with pity.

"I agree with Misawa-kun. It's not nice to do that to a girl, Shin-kun." Sho admitted, also pitying Shin.

"To be honest, I'm more amazed at how strong Asuka is." Judai exclaimed. "Just one whack, and she sent him flying across the room, and straight into the wall. That's one powerful swing! With a paper fan no less!"

"...I...I have to agree with you Judai..." Shin mumbled, still facing the floor. "...But to be honest, I should have seen this coming… Women are not to be trifled with. Fantasized of on a lonely Saturday night with a bottle of Chardonnay? Most certainly...But **not** trifled with..."

"You are most right Signore Shin." Chronos remarked, gathering his things. "There is a reason the saying goes 'Hell hath no fury like the woman scorned'. Maybe you should have thought your actions through. Just a suggestion." he said, before leaving through the door.

"Duly noted…" Shin mumbled. "Guys, I'm having quite a little bit of trouble keeping my thoughts together at the moment. Could you...maybe help me get to the nurses office?...again?" he asked.

Sighing, Misawa leaned down, and picked Shin up, slinging his arm over his shoulder, surprised at how light Shin was.

"I'm doing this as a fellow Ra, and friend. But I hope you learned your lesson." he said, as they began making their way towards Emi's office, Judai and Sho in tow.

After a little while…

"This is the second time you visit my office this week, Shin-kun. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you simply wanted to see me~" Emi said, with a teasing undertone, as she was wrapping some bandages around Shin's head. Shin himself released a dry laugh.

"To be honest, I wouldn't be opposed to that idea." he said absentmindedly, surprising Emi. "Oh, please don't mind me. My gears are still trying to get back into place." he said, saving himself the embarrassment, of having the nurse know about his 'teenage' fazes.

"Well...I'm just about done here." she said, taping the bandages together, and giving Shin a little space. "Keep those on for the day. You can take them off tonight, if you feel like it. And you're free to stay here for the remainder of class, since I have a hunch you shouldn't come near that girl for a while. Until she cools off, you know?" she said, Shin nodding in understanding.

She then turned to Shin's friends, who were quietly sitting on chairs in the corner, waiting for Emi to finish.

"One of you is free to stay with Shin-kun, in case anything should happen. But the other two will have to return to class." she said, before leaving the room. The three looked at each other for a moment. Then, Misawa spoke.

"You two should probably go back to class. Hate to say it but you can't afford to miss anymore lessons, since you've already slept through most of them so far." Misawa told his two companions.

"Oh come on. I can't be bothered with all the written theory stuff. It's dueling that I live for." Judai said, crossing his arms. "What does it matter if I don't do good on written tests, if I can still hold my own in duels?"

"But, that's the thing Big Bro. Written tests constitute around a half of our overall marks. You can still be held back, even if you're a good Duelist." Sho explained. But, Judai wasn't worried.

"You're worrying too much Sho. I was offered a promotion to Ra Yellow just yesterday. And it's still just the first week. Things will work out just fine." he waved off Sho's concerns.

"You'll still get detention though. And have to make up on lost work." Misawa pointed out, immediately snapping Judai to attention.

"You're right!" he exclaimed. "And if I'm stuck in detention, I won't have time to Duel! Sho, let's hurry!" he said, grabbing Sho and bolting out of the door, giving Shin a quick 'Seeya'.

"Good to see he has his priorities straight." Shin remarked, looking at the door. He then turned to Misawa. "But what about you, Misawa-chan? Won't you miss important material? I can do just fine on my own." he said.

"I already covered today's lessons. I like to be prepared for any situation." Misawa told Shin. He then pointed towards Shin's Ra yellow jacket, which was hung up on a stool near his bed. "But I'll admit I wasn't prepared to see you wearing yellow again so soon. It's barely been four days since you switched from Ra to Slifer, and you're already back again. What happened?"

"This is the third time I'm asked this question." Shin chuckled. "Seto-chan changed my dorms. That's really all there is to it." he explained.

"He just changed your dorm? Why though?" Misawa asked confused. Shin crossed his hands behind his head, and simply leaned back on the bed.

"He was aware that I beat Chronos on the entrance exam, and Kenji just before the monthly exam. So, technically, I was promoted to Ra, the same way Judai was." he said, before suddenly remembering something. "Oh yeah, speaking of. Judai was promoted too, wasn't he? Why's he still wearing the Slifer uniform?" Shin asked his friend.

"Oh right, you weren't there after the 'festivities'. He was promoted to Ra, but ultimately declined the promotion and returned to Slifer Red." Misawa explained. Shin hummed in thought.

"Then I guess he must like Red better." he assumed.

"What about you?" Misawa asked, making Shin turn to him with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, unlike Nr. 1, you accepted the promotion. Was Red really that bad?"

"No, it wasn't bad. Certainly a lot better then some of the other placed I had to bunk in." he admitted. "It's just that you can't say no to Seto-chan. He'll get what he wants in the end...unless that something is a win against Yugi-chan~" he sang, poking fun at the losses Kaiba suffered against Yugi.

 **ACHOO**

A loud sneeze resounded through the Kaiba Corp building.

"*sniff* What was that all about…?" Seto asked himself, after getting such a sneeze out of the blue.

"Maybe someone was talking about you?" Mokuba, who was reading comic books a little further away, guessed.

Hearing that, Seto's face suddenly turned blank. And then…

 **SHIIINN!**

Back in the nurses office, Shin and Misawa were sitting in silence.

"Hey, wanna duel?" Shin asked out of the blue. Misawa looked back up surprised.

"A duel? You've been home run-ed by Asuka not too long ago and you want to duel already?" he asked suspiciously.

"No, I didn't mean that kind of duel. A classic duel." Shin retorted, tapping the table next to his bed. "You know, table, duel mat, no holograms. The classics." he clarified.

Misawa sat back thinking for a while. But, he stood up regardless.

"Sure, let's do it. It helps pass the time." he said. _'And it would also give me some insight on your strategic thinking...'_ he thought, preparing plans for when he and Shin would duel for real. "Say, why don't we make this interesting."

"Hmm...What do you have in mind, Misawa-chan?" Shin asked, sitting up in his bed. Grabbing a small table and putting in front of Shin's bed, Misawa grabbed himself a chair, and sat down.

"You told me yesterday, that you use multiple decks. So that got me thinking, and I decided to toy around with that notion as well. And thus..." Misawa said, opening his jacket, revealing a vest which had six decks strapped to it. "I made these prototype decks, in case I can't use my regular deck. So why don't we each pick one of these decks, and duel with them. It would help me find any kinks in them too." he explained.

"Oh wow, that's a lot of decks." Shin said, pleasantly surprised. But then, he gained a sweatdrop. "But, you do know you look like a suicide bomber with that vest right? Are you trying to give someone a heart attack? Cuz if so, then I want to watch it~" he grinned, making Misawa sweatdrop this time.

"I thought you learned your lesson on pranking people." he stated.

"Oh yeah I did~ That's why **I'm** not doing it. Just watching from afar~" Shin admitted, poking his tongue out.

Misawa sighed with a small smile, before letting Shin decide on what deck he would be using. After the decks were chosen, they laid a duel mat, which Misawa conveniently had on him, and started the duel.

A while later, the bell rang through the academy, once again. This time, signaling the end of classes for the day.

"Huh? Oh, classes must be over for the day." Misawa said, after hearing the bell.

"Must be. We've been at this for a while now." Shin answered, referring to their still ongoing duel. A duel which looked to be a stalemate. "Welp, now that classes are over, I'm pretty sure we gotta clear out of here. Have to give Emi-san her workspace back." Shin said, jumping out of bed, before stumbling for a moment. Fortunately, he caught himself in time.

"You sure you're fine Shin?" Misawa asked, concerned for his friend. But, Shin waved him off.

"I'm just fine. Been through worse, so it's no biggie." he said, picking the table they were using, and pushing it back to it's original place.

"Worse? What happened?" Misawa asked, curious as to what Shin's definition of 'worse' was, while putting the chairs back.

"Stories for another time, Misawa-chan~" Shin sang, avoiding the subject like a pro. Don't question it. "Oh crap, I just remembered." he suddenly perked up.

"What is it?" Misawa asked curiously.

"I still have to bring my stuff over from the Slifer dorm, and check in with your headmaster." he replied. Then, he smiled towards Misawa. "Would you mind, helping a brother out~?"

Misawa looked blankly at Shin for a moment, before sighing.

"Sure. That's what friends are for right?" he said. The two left after Shin picked up his jacket, and put it on his shoulders, like a cape.

As they were heading towards the Slifer Red dorm, Shin kept throwing glances around, as if looking for someone. This caught the attention of Misawa.

"Something wrong Shin?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm looking around for Asuka-chan. She told me to meet her outside the Girls Dorm after school." Shin explained. "But I have no clue where that is, so I'm looking everywhere just in case."

"I'm pretty sure after today, you should give Asuka-san some space." Misawa suggested, based on the limited knowledge he had on women. Shin looked like he was contemplating the idea, before he hung his head low.

"You're right, I should give her some space. I don't want a full on concussion..." he mumbled. "...You'd think someone who grew up around women would know what angers them.."

Misawa didn't say anything, just kept walking alongside Shin, until they reached the Slifer Red Dorm. There, they saw Judai leaning on the railing. Upon noticing the two, he waved.

"Hey Shin, Nr.2! Finally back on your feet?" Judai greeted the two, directing the last question at Shin.

"Meh. My eyes sting and my noggin hurts, but I can deal with it. What about you? Did you manage to stay awake in class?" Shin asked his friend, who laughed awkwardly.

"Well, I stayed awake for half of the lessons, but then it got too boring I started snoozing. Good thing it was Daitokuji who was teaching, so he didn't get mad at me." Judai admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

"Hey, progress is progress, no matter how little." Shin said, shrugging his shoulders. Then, he looked around. "Say, where's Sho?" he asked, to which Judai shrugged.

"I don't know, actually. Though, I think he went to take a shower."

"Hmm, alright then. What about you? What're you up to?" Shin asked.

"I'm just chilling out here for a bit. Hayato is taking a nap, and he doesn't like it when people disturb him." Judai replied, motioning towards his room. "What about you Shin? Shouldn't you be in the Yellow dorm?" he asked curiously.

"I should, but I should also get my stuff from my room before that." Shin replied, as he and Misawa walked up the stairs to the second floor. "Say, since you're not busy, mind helping out? That way we can bring everything over in one go. You hang out with us afterward too if you want." he told Judai, who thought about it for a moment, before nodding his head energetically.

"Sure, no prob! Maybe we can also get that duel of ours underway.." he challenged with a grin.

"Oho~ Now you're talking~" Shin grinned in return. Fortunately, they had a rational mind with them.

"Seriously, you two are as impatient as little children. Shin, we just concluded you shouldn't have real duels for the day. Did you already forget?" he chastised.

"But Misawa-chaann~" Shin whined like a child. "I really want to duel you guys though~ I'm not the waiting type!" he exclaimed.

"I figured as much, but you'll get the opportunity in time, don't worry. Heck, we can just do it tomorrow, after you get those bandages off your head." Misawa reasoned, which actually seemed to work.

"Oh fiiinee...But when the time comes, I want you two to go all out." Shin said seriously, to which Judai and Misawa nodded.

""As long as you do the same"" they both said in unison, surprising each other.

"Heh, good to see we're on the same wavelength~" Shin grinned. Then, he went over to his dorm room, and opened the door. "Now, let's get this done." he said, stepping in the room, his two friends right behind him.

"Fortunately, I don't have much in here. Judai, can you put the clothes in the closet in that suitcase over there? Just stuff 'em in there." he said, pointing at a suitcase next to the closet.

"Sure thing." Judai replies, going over to the closet, and throwing the clothes he found into the suitcase.

"And Misawa-chan, could you help me gather my cards please?" Shin asked, pointing at the various cards scattered on the floor and desk.

"Right on it." Misawa aid, him and Shin beginning to pick up Shin's card, and placing them in Shin's precious trunk. As they did, Misawa noticed the sheer amount of different cards that Shin had.

' _He wasn't kidding. There's thousands of cards in there.'_ he thought, putting the cards on the ground in the trunk. _'Hmm...This is most troubling. With this many options, the probability of accurately predicting what cards he would use are slim to none...'_

While Judai was quite easy to read, as he obviously relied on his E-HERO's all of the time, Shin was a complete enigma, as he seemed to be able to bring out the most out of any Deck he got his hands on. Misawa could only wonder what would happen if Shin had someone else's Deck, and whether or not he could rival the actual owner.

"Hey Shin, I'm done over here." Judai called, as he closed the suitcase, after struggling with it for a bit.

"Thanks a lot Judai. We're done here too." Shin replied, as he and Misawa finished getting all the cards back in the trunk. "Say Misawa, does the Ra dorm have any computers?" he asked.

"Yes, it does. They're all connected to the Academy's network systems though, so not a lot of news from the main land." Misawa explained, as the three left the room, Shin having his clothes suitcase in his left hand, and the trunk in his right. "I personally only use them for info on cards, strategy simulators, etc. Why are you asking?"

"General information." Shin answered. "My reason for using the computers here isn't any different from you. It help me play around with the decks I built." he explained, as the trio began making their over to the Ra yellow dorm.

On their way, they also found Sho, coming back from the showers.

"Oh, Big Bro, Shin-kun, Misawa-kun! Where are you headed?" he asked, Judai pointing at Shin's 'luggage'.

"We're helpin' Shin here move his stuff over to the Ra Dorm, since he's still putting his gears together after that direct attack Asuka gave him." Judai laughed. "Want to tag along? We're gonna chill together in his room once we're done." he suggested.

"Well, if it's alright with Shin-kun?" Sho asked, looking at Shin. The boy simply shrugged.

"I don't mind. Like Judai said, Asuka has one hell of a direct attack, so I'm still getting my bearings together~" he laughed a bit. "It would be nice to have someone there, to catch me in case my brain lags for a bit and my legs give out."

And so, the four students continued on their way to the Ra Yellow dorm. After walking for a while, their reached their destination. It was a, bigger than medium, manor-like building painted yellow, obviously.

"Well, here we are." Misawa said. He then extended his hand toward Shin. "Let me be the first to officially welcome you into the Ra Yellow dorm, Shin.

Smiling, Shin put his trunk on the ground, and shook Misawa's hand.

"Glad to be here." Shin grinned.

"Please, follow me inside." Misawa gesture for the three to follow him inside the dorm.

Entering the spacious hallway, they saw a few students chatting with each other. And as they noticed Shin, the whispers began again. Sighing a bit, Misawa gestured for them to follow again.

"Prof. Kabayama should be around the dining hall. You need to talk to him, so you know what room will be yours, Shin." Misawa said, turning to Shin, who was looking at the interior of the building.

"Question. Does everyone get their separate rooms, or do we bunk together?" Shin asked.

"Everyone has their own separate rooms. They're pretty spacious too, so you have a lot of room to do stuff." Misawa explained.

"That's certainly good to know. I would feel bad for anyone who would have to bunk with me~" Shin admitted sheepishly. Misawa turned back curiously, Judai and Sho sharing the expression.

"Why do you say that?" Sho asked.

"Are you still asking after what happened today?" Shin deadpanned, pointing at the side of his head, where his bandages were left visible, since the front was covered by his golden bangs.

"oh yeah...you're probably right~" Sho giggled awkwardly.

"I have to ask, why do you like pranking people so much?" Misawa asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't know really. Guess I enjoy seeing the various reactions people get." Shin shrugged.

Misawa raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it.

Soon, they entered a large dining room. There, looking out one of the windows, was an elderly man with slicked back, dark blue hair and tiny mustache.

"Professor Kabayama." Misawa called, getting the teachers attention.

"Yes, Misawa-kun? Did something happen?" the professor asked. Misawa gestured towards Shin.

"This is Shin. He's just been promoted to Ra Yellow." he said. Kabayama's face lifted up.

"Ah yes, our newest addition. Principal Samejima notified me of your promotion. Well, my name is Kabayama, the headmaster of the Ra Yellow dorm. It's a pleasure to meet you, Shin-kun." the teacher smiled, extending his hand toward Shin, who shook it right away.

"The pleasure's all mine, Kabayama-sensei." Shin smiled.

"Alright, then. I am certain you're waiting to know what your room is, right?" Kabayama asked, as the two finished shaking hands. Shin nodded his head. "Well, you seem to be in luck, Shin-kun. It just so happens, that the room opposite of Misawa-kun's is available. Would like to have that one?" Kabayama asked.

"Well, that's certainly convenient. Good thing I'm not one to pass such opportunities!" Shin grinned. Kabayama smiled, and nodded his head.

"Then that room is yours, for your stay here. Now, please excuse me, while I go and write that down, so I won't forget about it." he said, giving Shin the key to his room, and leaving the four alone in the dining hall.

"Well, let's go and get you settled in Shin!" Judai exclaimed.

"You're certainly enthusiastic all of a sudden." Shin remarked, as the four left the dining hall, and started moving along the hallways, until they reached Shin's room.

"Here we are." Shin mumbled, as he turned the key, and opened the door.

Entering the room, Sho and Judai were left mouth slightly agape.

It was pretty spacious room, having a medium sized bed, two nightstands, a desk with a computer on it and a big closet, with a mirror on it. And finally, there was a little hallway, connecting the door and the room itself. In the hallway, was another door, which contained the bathroom the RA dorm rooms came equipped with.

"Huh. Not that different form Slifer Red, actually." Shin remarked. "A little more spacious, and there's our own bathroom. Convenient."

"Well, this is how it is. Need any help getting settled in?" Misawa asked. Shin however, shook his head.

"Well, consider I only have to put my clothes in the closet, I don't think so. You can all just chill in here while I do that." he said, going over to the closet.

"Then, don't mind if I do~" Judai replied, immediately jumping on the fluffy bed. "Oohh, this bed is really comfy." he said, as Sho sat on the side of the bed.

"You're right Big Bro, this bed is really comfy." Sho remarked, bouncing on the mattress a bit.

Misawa looked around a little longer, before heading for the door.

"Well, if you don't need help, I'll return to my room. I need to review some things. If you need anything let me know." Misawa said. Seeing Shin nod, he bobbed his head once, and left the room.

Silence ensued for a moment, before Judai broke it.

"So, what do you plan to do now Shin?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Shin asked, finishing his job in the closet. Judai gestured around his room.

"Well, like you said, there's not much to do around here right now. So what do you want to do? You can drop by our dorm tonight is you want. We're telling ghost stories." Judai said happily, to the surprise of Sho.

"Wait, are we still doing that?" he asked, Judai nodding eagerly.

"Of course we are! It's almost Halloween Sho! It's fitting." he explained.

"Ghost stories huh?" Shin said, intrigued. "Alright, you peaked my interest. What do you have in mind?" he asked.

"Well, I was thinking to do it based on the level of Monsters we draw. You know, the lower the level, the lamer the story. The higher the level, the better." Judai said. "So, you in?"

Shin contemplated the idea for a bit, before ultimately nodding his head.

"Sure, I'm down for it. When?" he asked. Judai, looked at the clock for a bit.

"Well, since there's no school tomorrow, how about 11 PM, in our cafeteria? Should help set the mood." he grinned.

"Alright then. You can count me in!" Shin said, pointing at himself.

Hearing this, Judai jumped off the bed.

"Alright then! Now that that's settled, I say we go back to our dorm Sho. We need to pick up those worksheets from Daitokuji..." Judai said, deflating at the end.

"I thought you said he wasn't mad at you for sleeping in class." Shin said, raising and eyebrow.

"He wasn't. But we still have to pick up the sheets he gave everyone. Since we were sleeping, we didn't get them, and we bolted before he could give them to us after class~" Judai admitted sheepishly.

Shin didn't say anything, instead he shook his head slightly, a smile on his face.

"Say, where are you Duel Spirits Shin?" Judai asked out of the blue, surprising Shin and Sho.

"Wait, Duel Spirits?" Sho was clueless. So Judai refreshed his memory.

"Yeah, have you forgotten? After his duel with that Kenji guy, Shin admitted he can see duel spirits, like me. He showed us his Partner, the Dark Magician Girl, remember?" Judai said, Sho's face lighting up.

"Oh yeah, you're right! But..what is it even like to see Duel Spirits?" he asked curiously.

"It's like we're seeing their holograms the entire time. The only difference is that the duel Spirits, unlike the holograms, have personalities and can talk." Shin explained. Sho perked up at that.

"Wait they can talk?!" he exclaimed, Shin giving a nod in agreement. Sho then turned sheepish. "Then...Can you...maybe ask t-the Dark Magician Girl...what she likes?" he said, his face blushing pretty brightly.

Shin's face was blank for a while, before it turned into a mischievous grin. A grin which made Sho gulp.

"Soo~" Shin sang, getting close to Sho. "Yo have a crush on my Partner eh?" he grinned.

"W-what?!" Sho exclaimed embarrassed "N-no I don't! Only little kids h-have crushes on a Duel Monsters card!" he defended, very poorly.

"Sho, you're stuttering, and your face looks like a tomato~" Shin pointed out happily, making Sho gain an even bigger blush, before he buried his face in his hands.

"Shin, don't tease Sho like that. Remember, that's the same reaction Asuka had, and look at what happened." Judai pointed out, though he too had a big grin on his face.

"Y-Yeah! Don't make fun of me or-!" Sho started strong, before shrinking under Shin's challenging face. "..o-or..." he said weakly.

"'Or'...What?" Shin grinned 'evilly'. "Just because I let Asuka-chan do that, doesn't mean I won't fight back if you do it Sho." he said, leaning down in front of Sho's face, the poor boy backing up a bit. "I won't feel bad for hurting another male, Sho."

"..I wish I was a girl sometimes…!" Sho squeaked, making Shin drop his facade, and start laughing again.

"Ahaha~, come on Sho, you're waaayy to easy to tease~" Shin laughed, Judai snickering along with him.

"Wha-! Grr...That wasn't nice Shin-kun! You too Big Bro!" Sho exclaimed, pouting.

"Haha, come on Sho, you have to admit your reaction was pretty funny." Judai chuckled, while Shin was still laughing.

"Ohoho~, man, thanks for the laugh Sho~" Shin said, wiping a nonexistent tear away. "Alright then, as a reward for entertaining us, I'll honor your request." he said, getting DMG's card out, surprising Sho.

He then tapped the card twice, before it emitted a soft glow, the Dark Magician Girl popping out of the card. Looking around for a bit, she turned to Shin with a confused face.

" **What's wrong Shi-chan? Did something happen?"** she asked, before noticing the bandages on Shin's head. **"Oh my God, something did happen!"** she panicked, immediately entering the 'Big Sis' mode. **"Who did this Shi-chan? I'll make them pay!"** she declared seriously, making Judai giggle. Turning, she noticed the other person who can see her, trying his best not to laugh.

" **What's so funny? My precious Shi-chan got hurt!"** she exclaimed, making Judai giggle even more. By now, Sho was pretty freaked out, as to why Judai started giggling all of a sudden.

"A-Ask him **how** he got those bandages~" Judai giggled, confusing Sho, and making Dark Magician Girl turn back to Shin.

" **Shi-chan? What happened?"** she asked, getting right in front of his face. Shin, for the first time, seemed to get genuinely embarrassed.

"W-Well...You see...things happened l-like this..." Shin stuttered a bit. However, Judai couldn't help it, and blurted out the truth.

"He pranked one of the girls in our class and she cracked him over the head with a paper fan, and sent him flying into a wall as payback~" he laughed, remembering how hilarious it was for him when it happened.

" **Oh, so that's what happened..."** DMG mumbled blankly, before turning to Shin. **"You deserved it then."** she deadpanned.

"Yeah I did..." Shin hung his head low. That was, until it was raised by his partner, making Shin look into her eyes.

" **Don't worry though~"** Dark Magician Girl smiled. **"Now we can play 'Doctor' for real~"** she smiled, playfully hugging Shin's head between her pillows.

"Can you stop doing that with other people around?" Shin pleaded, a blush present on his face.

"Okay, are you two messing with me again?" Sho asked, not sure if this was another attempt to tease him.

"Oh no, we're for real this time. And I tell you, it's very entertaining~" Judai grinned, watching the show, munching on some popcorn that he pulled out of nowhere. "Popcorn?" he offered his short friend, who declined.

"I can't actually see what's going on, Big Bro." Sho replied, getting Shin's attention.

"Oh that's right!" he exclaimed, breaking free from his Partner's grasp. "So, she's here Sho, whether you see her or not." he told Sho, who opened his eyes wide.

"Wait really?" he asked. "Is she really Big Bro?" he looked to his big brother figure for confirmation.

"She's really there Sho." Judai confirmed.

"Hmm...I'm still not convinced." he stated. Shin released a sigh, before turning to his Partner.

"Are your batteries charged yet? I feel like I'm letting poor Sho down." he told Dark Magician Girl, who rubbed the back of her head.

" **Afraid they're still not charged enough for a solid body~"** she admitted awkwardly. But the, she noticed the big mirror on Shin's new closet, getting an idea. **"Hey Shi-chan..."** she leaned into his ear, and whispered her plan.

All the while poor Sho was awkwardly sitting on the bed, looking at Shin seemingly talk to himself.

"That could actually work." Shin said, as he and his Partner nodded their head at the same time. Turning to Sho, he explained. "Alright Sho, she came up with an idea, that may work. I need you to come over here." he stated, as he went over to the mirror. A little suspicious, Sho went over, and looked in the mirror.

"It's a mirror. What's so special about it?" he asked confused.

"Close your eyes." Shin instructed.

"But-"

"Close your binoculars, Four Eyes!" Shin demanded, scaring poor Sho into obedience. After Sho covered his eyes, Shin looked at his Partner, and nodded his head.

She then floated behind Sho, and hid, so she wouldn't appear in the mirror yet. All the while, Judai kept munching on the popcorn, suspiciously quiet.

"Ok, you can open your eyes Sho." Shin stated, as the teal haired boy removed the hands from his face, and opened his eyes.

"What is it? Nothing's changed Shin-kun." Sho stated, looking back at Shin. Only to see him grinning.

"Oh really? I don't remember you having a hat Sho." Shin said, a big grin on his face.

"Wait, a hat?" surprised, Sho looked back in the mirror, only to see that his reflection indeed had a hat now. Specifically, Dark Magician Girl's hat.

"Huh?!" he exclaimed, immediately checking on his own head, feeling only his hair. Looking back into the mirror, he was shocked to see a slender hand, appear from behind him, picking up the hat, and placing it on a blonde head behind Sho. And then, to Sho's utter shock, the real Dark Magician Girl, poked her head from behind him, a big smile on her face.

She then jumped out fully, hovering right next to Sho. As if not believing his own eyes, Sho looked next to him, seeing nothing, and returning to the mirror, where he started rubbing his eyes. The Dark Magician girl was still there.

"I don't believe this!" he exclaimed. "How are you doing this Shin-kun?" he asked, taking in every detail of Dark Magician Girl, who, for entertainment purposes, actually started posing, making a giant blush appear on Sho's face.

"I told you Sho. I'm not doing anything. That's the real Dark Magician Girl Duel Spirit." Shin replied smiling, having joined Judai in munching popcorn, content on watching Sho's interaction with the mirror.

Hearing this is his idol and crush, in the flesh (sort of), Sho gained stars in his eyes.

"Oh my gosh I can't believe this! This is really the Dark Magician Girl!" he exclaimed, a childlike smile on his face. Seeing his reaction, DMG giggled sweetly, making Sho's blush grow bigger.

"How long do you think this will last?" Judai asked Shin, as Dark Magician Girl began toying with Sho through the mirror, such as poking his cheek, or lifting bangs of his hair in the air.

"I'm not really sure. She can keep this going for a while." he replied. Judai looked at Shin with a teasing grin.

"Know from experience?" he teased, to which Shin actually nodded, surprising Judai.

"I've known her for years. So yes, I do know from experience." Shin said with a shrug, turning his attention back to Sho and DMG.

The two kept playing for a while, until Judai butted in.

"Hey Sho, not to break up your fun time, but we have to get back you know? It's getting pretty late and we still have to get those sheets from Daitokuji...Again." Judai said, pointing at the clock, which read 7 PM.

"Wait it's that late already?" Sho asked, getting nods in return. "Aww man..." he deflated, looking down.

" **Aww, don't be like that Sho."** Dark Magician Girl said. Unfortunately, Sho couldn't actually hear her, so she tried getting his attention through the mirror, which worked. She then gestured that everything will be fine, since they can do this again any time.

"Yeah, I guess your right ~" Sho replied. Smiling, Dark Magician Girl waved her goodbyes, before leaving the mirror, joining Shin on the bed. Since Sho couldn't actually see her outside the mirror, it looked like she disappeared for good.

"Done Sho?" Shin asked, getting a nod from Sho.

"I guess." he replied, still a little down, but not outright sad. "Thanks for doing this for me Shin-kun! That was really nice of you." he thanked Shin, as he and Judai headed towards the door.

"Don't mention it Sho. That's what friends are for." Shin grinned, waving the two good bye.

"Seeya tonight Shin! Don't forget to come to the cafeteria! We'll be waiting!" Judai called, before leaving, Sho in tow.

After the door closed, Shin and his Partner were left in silence for a moment. Until Shin turned towards his new computer, and began making his way towards it, drawing a curious look from Dark Magician Girl.

" **What're you doing Shi-chan?"** she asked, following Shin to the computer.

"I wanna check something. I heard some interesting things about the forest today." he stated, turning the computer on. Hearing that the forest popped up, she turned serious.

" **As in, 'Jinzo' serious?"** she asked with a raised eyebrow. However, Shin shook his head.

"Pretty sure no student knows about that. Which is a good thing all on it's own. Means we took care of a serious problem for most students here." Shin said, beginning to check through the existent files on the computer. "Apparently, there's something dangerous enough in there, that it grants expulsion if you're found around it."

" **Wait expulsion?!"** DMG exclaimed shocked.

"That was my reaction too. But apparently it's true." he replied, clicking away on the computer. DMG leaned over, a curious expression on her face.

" **What are you trying to do Shi-chan?"** she asked, observing the many files Shin was going through.

"Finding out the limitations of these computers." he replied, still focused on the screen.

"' **Limitations'?"** his Partner repeated. Nodding his head, Shin elaborated.

"I mean how much you can access with these computers. You can obviously access Kaiba Corp's Card Database, to check cards, existent, new, banned, whatsoever." he said. "But." he continued, pulling up a window showing a security panel. "You can't connect to anything else on the main land. Which means that communication is limited. And connecting to the Kaiba Corp satellite, would be completely off the table." he explained, confusing his Partner even more.

" **The satellite? Why would you want to connect to that?"**

"In order to get a satellite image of the entire island." Shin said, typing something into the computer.

" **Doesn't the school give the students a map of the island?"** she asked, raising a fair point. Something Shin acknowledged.

"They do. However" he pulled up the map provided by the school. "It only shows the academy, the port, and all the way to the Slifer Red Dorm. Everything else is considered 'forest'. And while I could try to remove it, I need an Admin's Data to do that. And while I could do that too..." he said, closing the map, and returning to typing. "I would definitely get caught hacking into the system. And that would just give me more trouble."

" **I still don't quite get why you're trying to get a satellite image of the island thought."** DMG remarked, still clueless.

"Think about it." Shin said. "There's something in that forest, that we students aren't allowed to even come near to. And yet, such a thing isn't shown on the academy issued maps. It's like they know something dangerous in there, but aren't doing anything to stop it. As for the reason I need the satellite image, it's so I can locate that mysterious something. The satellite shows everything on the island. With that I'll know where that is, and when the best time to visit it is." he explained.

" **But you just said getting caught would mean expulsion! Why are you trying to go there?"** Shin's partner asked incredulously.

"Because there's something fishy around here. Something just doesn't feel right." Shin said. And almost immediately, Yami Shin's words echoed through DMG's head.

' _ **I sense a looming shadow over the island. You'd do well to prepare.'**_

" **Well, alright then."** she said. **"If this is what you think it's best, then I'll support you all the way, like I always have. But what are you going to do about the 'not getting caught part'? You don't know when the patrol may roll in."**

"You're right. Which is why I just hacked this." Shin said, showing his Partner his PDA. On it, the scheduled patrols of the Ethic's Committee was displayed. "With this, I know when and where the Committee is supposed to be. Which means that I can avoid them whenever." he explained, putting his PDA back. "And now, for the final piece."

Shin then began typing some things on the computer, and a couple clicks later, he was able to pull up a window, displaying the KaibaCorp logo. Typing a few more things...

"And I'm in." he announced, as multiple windows appeared, showing a multitude of things, from KaibaCorp's secret database, to ongoing and future projects. Everything KaibaCorp was working on under the surface, laid bare before Shin. However, he wasn't interested in any of that.

Pulling one of the windows aside, Shin clicked a couple of times, before a global map appeared on the screen. From there, Shin pinpointed the Duel Academia, and zoomed in, getting a full image of the island.

Shin studied the map for a bit, before, before Dark Magician Girl pointed at something on the screen.

" **Shi-chan, what's that eye thing?"** she asked, immediately getting Shin's attention.

Looking at his cursor, he saw that under it, something similar to an eye began opening. And Shin knew full well what that meant.

"Crap, the security is onto me already!" he exclaimed, hurriedly clicking away on the map, trying to save and transfer it to his PDA, before the eye opened, as that meant that KaibaCorp's security had locked onto Shin's position, and screen image.

Fortunately, Shin wasn't an amateur when it came to technology, so he managed to save everything important, and transfer it into his PDA, before the eye opened. And with a few seconds left, Shin quickly typed a shortcut, allowing him to destroy all files he had processed and accessed in an instant. He then immediately shut off the computer, right before the eye opened fully.

"Whew~" he breathed in relief. "Almost got caught that time...But, at least now I have this."

On his PDA, the satellite image he had gotten was displayed. And on it, a red blinking dot pinpointed what Shin was looking for.

"Ready to go for a moonlit walk?" Shin asked his Partner, who nodded her head with a smile.

" **I'm always ready!"** she declared.

Nodding, Shin quietly slipped out of his room, and began heading down into forest, as the darkness of the night set over the island.

As they were walking around, Dark Magician Girl couldn't help but notice something.

" **You seem very calm Shi-chan. That's a big step from how you were cowering in fear last night."** she said, as the two made their way through the dark forest.

"You're right. I don't know why, but I feel oddly at ease right now." Shin admitted. "Are you complaining?" Shin asked with a raised eyebrow.

" **Oh no, of course I'm not complaining. This way we don't have to call Eatos."**

" **I heard my name just then"** Eatos voice echoed, as she flew out of Shin's deck, and materialized beside her Master.

"Oh Eatos, how nice of you to join us." Shin greeted with a smile. "You showed up at the right time. We're going investigating." he said, making Eatos tilt her head.

" **What are you investigating, exactly?"** she asked, to which DMG responded.

" **Shi-chan found out that there's something dangerous in the forest. If we were to get caught, he could face expulsion. So that's why we're checking it out!"** she beamed, making Eatos look at them with wide eyes.

" **Wait, why are we going there, if it could end in Master getting expelled?!"** she exclaimed.

"Don't worry about it." Shin said simply. Before Eatos could say anything else…

" **Don't question it Eatos. Shi-chan knows what he's doing."** she said **"..most of the time at least..."** she mumbled towards the end, making Shin pout.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

" **Nothing Shi-chan~"** DMG waved Shin off. Shaking his head, Shin kept following the map on his PDA.

And soon enough, Shin and his Spirits reached their destination.

The Abandoned Dorm.

Stepping closer, Shin took in the appearance of the old building. From the outer walls, to the crumbling roof and cracked windows. Overall, he cringed.

"Man, this building has definitely seen better days." he mumbled, stepping into the clearance.

However, as he did, he heard rustling in the woods nearby.

" **Shi-chan, I thought you knew when the Ethic's Committee was checking around these parts!"** Dark Magician Girl exclaimed.

"They weren't supposed to!" Shin panicked a bit, quickly hiding behind a bush.

However, he was truly surprised, when he saw Asuka of all people, come out into the clearance, a rose in her hand.

"Asuka-chan?!" Shin exclaimed shocked.

" **That's the Asuka who told you about this thing?"** Dark Magician Girl asked, making Shin nod.

"She's also the one that gave me these bandages." Shin stated, getting Eatos's attention.

" **I noticed those bandages before, but I didn't question it until now. How did that girl give you of all people the need for bandages?"** she asked curiously.

"Oh, don't worry, I don't actually need these bandages." Shin admitted. "I just played it for the normies in class. She did send me flying into a wall with a paper fan after all."

" **Wow, that's one powerful swing."** DMG said, surprised. Shin nodded his head.

"Well, she's a female. Females have hidden powers." Shin said, preparing to leave his hiding spot, before DMG stopped him.

" **Do you think it's a good idea to come near her, after what happened today? Not to mention you're technically breaking school rules?"**

"Rules were meant to be broken!" Shin declared, stepping back out into the clearing, as his Spirits returned to the spirit world.

"Be at rest, wherever you are..." Asuka mumbled sadly, placing a red rose by the gate of the Abandoned Dorm.

"My, I didn't expect the Queen of Obelisk to break the Rules." a new, familiar voice said, startling Asuka, who swiftly turned around, and flashed her flashlight in the direction of the voice.

"I'm starting to rub off on you, and that may or may not be a good thing, depending on what you make of that statement, and what your preference is~" Shin said, amusement in his voice, and a smile on his face.

Seeing it was only Shin, and not the Ethics Committee, Asuka released a relieved breath.

"Goodness Shin-kun, don't sneak up on me like that." she breathed, calming her racing heart. Once she was done, she turned back to Shin, a stern look on her face.

"I thought I told you it's dangerous to go into the forest at night. And to stay especially far away from this place. Do you ever listen to what people tell you?" she reprimanded Shin, who waved her off, a smile still present on his face.

"No, not really. I don't like listening to orders~" he grinned. "And, I could ask you the same thing, Asuka-chan! Why are you here?" he asked, as he walked to her side.

"Don't try to turn this on me. I have my reasons for being here." Asuka stated, crossing her arms over her sizable bust. Something Shin finally noticed.

' _...staaarreeeee...'_

Shin likes admiring pretty things.

Fortunately, he had enough common sense, to snap out of his staring, and return to the matter at hand.

"Well then, just like you, I have my reasons for being here as well!" shin stated childishly, prompting Asuka to look at him blankly.

"Really?" she deadpanned.

"Nothing I do is without reason, Asuka." Shin said. Truly serious for once. And his statement, actually took Asuka by surprise, especially since he dropped the '-chan', at the drop of a hat.

"OK...then what is **your** reason?" she asked, looking back at Shin, finally noticing the bandages on his head, starting to feel some regret, for overreacting like that.

"You told me that there was something dangerous in the forest. And I once made a vow." Shin said, looking at Asuka seriously. "Harm shall befall no innocent, as long as I can help it." he stated, looking back at the Abandoned Dorm. "And that thing is giving me a really bad vibe. Which is why I'm here to investigate."

Asuka, was slightly taken aback. Shin was taking the risk of expulsion, to prevent others from...She stopped there, remembering what happened.

"...if only you were here to help him..." she mumbled sadly, in turn getting Shin's attention.

"What?" he asked, not having heard Asuka properly.

"If only you were here before, maybe you could have helped him.." she repeated, a little louder this time.

"'Him'? Who are you talking about?" he asked, looking straight at Asuka.

"My brother." she said, surprising Shin. "He was a student here. But one day, he just, vanished. And it happened here." Asuka recounted, looking toward the building. "And not just him. A handful of other students disappeared here too."

"I see..." Shin mumbled to himself. "So, that's your reason for being here. Your brother?" he asked softly, getting a solemn nod from Asuka. Silence befell the two, as they were staring at the Abandoned Dorm, side by side. Until…

"I'll help you." Shin stated, breaking the silence, and surprising Asuka.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"I'll help you find your brother, Asuka-chan." he stated, looking back at Asuka.

"Wait a second, Shin-kun, you don't have to-" Asuka was taken aback, as a soft hand fell on her head.

"I won't hear it." Shin said, softly petting Asuka's head. "You're only one player, in an unfamiliar stage. It never hurts, to have a backup." he smiled.

"I.." Asuka tried to speak, but couldn't form any words.

Shin, was someone she had only met less than a week ago. And yet, here he was, ready to help her finding her lost brother. Someone he knew nothing about. Heck, Asuka wasn't even sure why she told him about her brother in the first place. And yet…

"I...Thank you." Asuka could only say those two words. A sign of appreciation.

"Come on Asuka-chan. If you want to thank me, then smile!" Shin exclaimed, smiling brightly.

Asuka's heart, skipped a beat at that smile. Such an innocent smile, from someone she knew felt the same pain as her. How he could do it so easily, was hard to understand, but he did it.

At such a smile, Asuka couldn't help her own lips raising a bit.

"Fufufu~" she giggled. "You truly are an interesting person, did you know that?" she asked, a smile present on her face.

"I've been told a couple of times~" Shin admitted, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. As he did though, he accidentally caught on his own bandages, ripping some of them off.

Reminded of the bandages, it was Asuka's turn to look sheepish.

"Uh...So...I'm sorry about earlier..." she said, looking at the ground. Confused, Shin turned to Asuka.

"What're you taking about Asuka-chan?" he asked.

"The bandages." she said, pointing at the bandages dangling in Shin's face. "It's because of my hit isn't it?" she asked, her tone sounding a little down.

"Oh this?" Shin said in a dismissive tone. "Fuck 'em!" he exclaimed, ripping the bandages off completely, shocking Asuka.

"Wait, Shin-kun, aren't you supposed to keep those on?!" she asked startled, not sure as to how she should react to this.

"No, it's fine. Emi-san said it was okay to take them off, whenever I felt alright again." he replied, taking off the final strap of bandage. "Sorry to tell you, but you're not going to keep me down with something like that~" he sang, grinning childishly.

"You're probably the only one beside my brother, who would say something like that." Asuka shook her head with a smile. "But you did deserve it. You shouldn't prank a girl like that." she said, resuming a stern, but soft, tone.

"Yeah, you're right. I did deserve it, and I'm sorry." Shin apologized, bowing his head. "Are we all good now?" he asked, raising his head with a puppy-like face. Asuka smiled.

"We always were." she replied, patting Shin on the head, the boy actually purring at the touch, making a faint blush appear on Asuka's face.

Standing up, Shin looked back at the Dorm.

"Well, since we're already here, want to start investigating your brothers disappearance?" Shin suggested. Surprisingly, Asuka shook her head.

"There's no need to. Just talking to someone about it, feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders." she admitted, a content smile on her face.

"Well, it's your choice." Shin shrugged. "Want to go back to the Dorm's instead then?"

"I'd like that. A girl needs her beauty sleep you know?" she joked, as the two began leaving.

"I wouldn't worry if I were you. Natural beauty is hard to ruin~" he grinned, winking playfully at Asuka. Seeing the game he was starting, Asuka smirked, and decided to play along.

"Oh definitely. I can say the same about you. And then some~" she whispered 'seductively', playfully nudging Shin.

"Oho~ So that's how we're playing it huh? I wonder, was your brother popular with the ladies, because charm definitely runs in the family~" Shin replied, giving Asuka the deep eye stare.

She returned it, and the two kept going for a while…

Before they burst out laughing.

"Ahaha~ Oh, that was a good laugh. Thanks Shin-kun." Asuka giggled, as the two resumed their journey back.

"No problem Asuka-chan. I enjoy entertaining people~" Shin sang. "But...Speaking of entertainment." he said, getting Asuka's attention.

"What are you thinking Shin-kun?" she asked, slightly weary.

"You know how everyone was paying full attention at us today?" he asked, getting an uncertain nod from Asuka. "Well~ Why don't we keep entertaining them?" he suggested.

"How?" Asuka raised an eyebrow, uncertain of Shin's idea.

"Well, we can just keep doing what we just did. Y'know, playful flirting. We'll know that's all it is, but they'll think we may actually be together. I for one am quite curious as to how they would react." Shin explained. Asuka began thinking for a moment.

"OK, you know what? Let's do it." she replied, a tiny smirk on her face. Seeing this, Shin gained a smirk of his own.

"Alright, who do you want to get with this?" he asked knowingly.

"My two friends. They've been bugging me with this whole 'boyfriend' scenarios the whole week. One of them keeps trying to tease me, because we spend so much time together, even thought it's only been one week." Asuka sighed.

"I see, so you're trying to get your friends off your back." Shin surmised, chuckling slightly.

"Pretty much." Asuka nodded her head.

The two kept walking for a while, until they left the forest, and reached the cliff side, the red dorm being visible in the distance.

"Alrighty then, looks like we're back on familiar ground. Guess I'll see you soon Asuka-chan." Shin grinned.

"Sure. We can hang out tomorrow, if you want?" she suggested. Shin seemed to think for a minute.

"Well, I can. I just don't know when. I'll text you tomorrow, that sound OK?" he asked his female companion, who nodded in acceptance.

"That's fine with me. Just text me when and where." she said, turning to leave. "Good Night Shin-kun. Sweet dreams." and with a final wave, she turned and left toward the Blue Girls Dorm.

"Night Asuka-chan!" Shin called one last time, Asuka turning back, and giving him a wink.

After parting ways, Shin left toward the Red Dorm, as he still had to make it to the ghost story telling. After walking for a few minutes, he reached Slifer Red's Cafeteria.

"And then, you're dragged down into the depths and drowned!" was the first thing Shin heard, upon opening the door.

"Looks like you guys started without me." he remarked, making his presence known.

"Ah, Shin, there you are!" Judai exclaimed, waving at Shin. "We were getting a little bored, so we decided to just start setting the mood. But it didn't really work." he said, as Shin pulled out a chair, and sat at the table.

"A medium level story, for a medium level monster." Judai said, looking at the Level 4 monster that Sho drew. "Oh yeah, that's Hayato by the way." he remarked, pointing in the corner of the room.

"Oh hey there! Name's Shin!" he greeted, waving at the koala looking fellow.

"Hi. My name's Hayato. Nice to meet ya." Hayato replied, remaining in his corner.

"So, how are gonna do this?" Shin asked Judai, who explained.

"Well, like I said, we have a deck." he said, pointing at the deck. "We each draw a card, and depending on the level, we have to tell a scary story. That's all there is to it."

"Ok then, who goes now?" Shin asked, looking between Judai and Sho.

"Well, it should be my turn right now, but you can go ahead if you want." Judai said, pushing the Deck toward Shin.

"Well, I guess I can try." Shin shrugged, reaching for the deck.

Picking up a card, he revealed it to the two.

Curse of Dragon LV -5- (2000/1500)

"A LV 5 huh? That should be above average. SO, hit us with your best story Shin!" Judai cheered.

"My best huh?" Shin mumbled, putting on a thinking face. Then, he grinned.

"Okay. Sho." he said, gaining the teal haired boy's attention. "You still remember how you played around with Dark Magician Girl through the mirror?" he asked.

"Well, y-yeah." Sho answered, a little uneasy. "Why?"

"Hehe~" Shin released a creepy laugh. "Do you know why I made u close your eyes?" he asked, Sho shaking his head. "It was so you wouldn't see **it.** "

"S-See...what?" Sho gulped.

"The phantom~" Shin sang. "I had to perform a Ritual to get Dark Magician Girl in there. But any spirit could have entered. And the Phantom is known for using this ritual, for getting it's victims." he said, the candle providing light flickering. Poor Sho, already starting getting a cold shiver.

"They say that if you perform the ritual wrong, you will call upon the Phantom, who will appear as your own reflection. And If you made the mistake, of making eye contact, it will grab you, and drag your soul down into the depths of darkness, where you will spend eternity. Kinda like that." he said, getting unusually laid back towards the end.

However, at that exact time…

"What are you doing children?"

 **KYYYAAA!**

Conveniently for Shin, Daitokuji just happened to enter the cafeteria, as he was telling the story. Even more conveniently, he unknowingly grabbed Sho's shoulder, scaring the living daylight out of him. Poor Hayato wasn't fairing any better either.

"Thanks for the help Daitokuji-sensei! Ahaha~" Shin laughed, being joined by Judai.

"Yeah, that was too perfect~" Judai giggled, holding his belly from laughter.

"That wasn't funny Big Bro, Shin-kun!" Sho exclaimed, from his hiding spot under the table. That, only made Shin and Judai laugh even more.

"Are you children telling ghost stories, by chance?" Daitokuji guessed, being spot on.

"Yeah. We draw cards, and depending on the level, we tell ghost stories." Shin explained, having finally calmed his laughter down.

"Oh? Then, don't mind if I give it a try." Daitokuji said, picking up a card.

F.G.D LV-12- (5000/5000)

"Holy cow, that's one horrifying story..." Shin mumbled, a little concerned about how he'll sleep tonight.

"Give us the best story you have, Daitokuji-sensei!" Judai cheered the professor on. Daitokuji, thought for a moment, before beginning.

"Have you children heard of the Abandoned Dorm, at the end of the forest?" he asked, Shin perking immediately.

"I think I saw something like that once." Sho said, returning to his chair.

"Well, rumor has it, that multiple students went missing in that dorm." he explained, Shin's eyes narrowing a bit. He smelled something fishy. "Apparently, the Dorm was experimenting with the Games of Darkness." he said.

At that, Shin was on full alert. He was right. That building had an eerie feeling to it. And if they were indeed experimenting with the Games of Darkness, then it needed to get taken care of, ASAP.

"The games of Darkness? You mean like with the whole Millennium Items? Come on professor, those stories are just make belief aren't they?" Judai asked uninterested.

"Every story, has some truth in it." Shin said, as the candle flickered again. And as it did, it briefly shone light on his Millennium Medallion, which gave off a soft glow, until it disappeared. Judai missed it, but Daitokuji managed to catch it, and as he did, his eyes widened briefly, revealing red pupils. Something in turn, Shin caught a glimpse of. But the teacher regained his poker face, just in time.

"Shin-kun is right, Judai-kun, nya. I like to think that every story, begins from some form of truth." he said, petting Pharaoh. "Well, it's getting late children. You should go to bed, nya." he said, before leaving the cafeteria.

Left alone, Judai perked up.

"You guys heard that right? I say we go check out that abandoned dorm tomorrow!" he exclaimed happily, immediately snapping Sho in attention.

"I don't think that's a good idea Big Bro. People disappeared there!" he said frightened. However, Judai waved him off.

"Come on Sho, don't believe every fairy tale." he said.

As the two were chatting, Shin was left in his own little world.

' _Daitokuji was surprised when he saw my Millennium Item...Does that mean he recognizes them?"_ he asked himself _'Hmm..the only ones that should be aware of them, are the actual owners, and the Gravekeepers...That means…'_ his eyes narrowed, as he drew a line between Daitokuji, and the Abandoned Dorm. _'Already have a lead, Asuka-chan...Your brother is as good as found.'_

While Shin was doing his little research, outside the cafeteria window, a person was listening in on the previous conversation.

"So, that Dropout Boy plans on visiting the Abandoned Dorm, no ne?" Chronos grinned, having planned another way to get Judai expelled. "That boy will learn true fear! Hehe...It's time for the Games of Darkness to make a comeback.." Chronos giggled, before retreating back into his bush, and leaving.

Of course, even the walls have ears…

 **Well, here you have it folks.**

 **You asked for it, and now you have received it. I thank all of you, who reviewed. Truly, thank you. It may not mean much to you, but for me, reviews are a way to get motivated. This entire chapter, was made after reading your reviews. I started working on it, a day after the last chapter was posted. So, now you may understand, why I appreciate nice reviews. Because it's those reviews that inspire me.**

 **But! I'm not really one for sappy moments SO!**

 **Quite a number of things happened in this chapter.**

 **This, was mostly an original chapter. You know, comedic relief before things go down next chapter.**

 **Unfortunately, the next chapter won't be out until like...mid November or so. Sorry, but there's quite a few things I need to do. First and fore most, finish the Halloween story extra. That takes priority for now.**

 **But don't worry. I have a lot of action planned for next chapter~**

 **Well, I don't have that much to say, to be honest. Mostly because I'm dead tired.**

 **Please excuse grammar mistakes. I'll probably correct them tomorrow.**

 **And with that said, I hope you enjoyed, leave a review, tell me what you thought of the chapter and yeah. Until next chapter~**

 **Bye~**


	8. Chapter 7

**Blackshadow340:** **I updated indeed. And here's the next chapter~ And yes, I did give Asuka some of Yuzu's temper. It makes things more entertaining.**

 **Guest:** **Glad you enjoyed the chapter~ And yes, build up is important. A little more build up and such this chapter too~**

 **Ghost1986:** **You're welcome~ And here's the next one~ Also, thank you~**

 **Nirvash Neo:** **I'm glad you like this story~ Don't worry, everything will be cleared up by the time Shin finishes his first year at the academy. And, as you can see, the story is definitely continuing, so yay~ Here's the new chapter~**

 **Now, onto the chapter~**

Chapter 7: Dangers of the Games of Darkness Pt. 2

After Daitokuji left, the gang remained in the cafeteria for a bit, because of Judai's idea. He suggested they go explore the Abandoned Dorm at midnight tomorrow, to see what would happen. Sho, along with Hayato, were reluctant to go, due to the fact that people actually went missing there, but Judai paid the fact no mind. Because the two were so reluctant, Judai turned to his other friend in the corner.

He asked Shin, if he was down to go at the Abandoned Dorm, hoping at least he would go. The dual haired teen thought about the idea for a moment, ultimately agreeing.

However, he only agreed because he knew something was off about the Dorm, and he didn't want Judai to go missing, like Asuka's brother. Since Daitokuji said the Abandoned Dorm had seen experiments with the Games of Darkness, Shin knew his friends were safest with him, due to his Millennium Item.

Since Shin agreed to go, Sho relented as well, not wanting to leave Judai's side. And after Sho, Hayato joined as well, not wanting to be left out.

Deciding to meet up at the cafeteria again tomorrow night, the three left the cafeteria and went to bed, while Shin made his way back to his new dorm.

Inside the Yellow Dorm, Shin quietly made his way back into his room. Opening the door, he quickly jumped in, closing the door behind him as quietly as possible.

Turning the lights on, he released a breath.

"Phew. Home sweet home.." he mumbled, going over to his bed, plopping in it right away. Sinking in the soft mattress, he sighed in content. "Oh this bed is really comfy~ A lot better than the Slifer beds" he smiled.

Raising his body, he grabbed his decks, and put them on the nightstand.

"You guys asleep yet?" he asked, directing it toward the decks. It took a moment, before a couple lights flew out, materializing around the room.

Eatos appeared next to Shin's bed, with Silent Magician appearing right behind her, Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV4 appeared at Shin's feet, Red Eyes Black Chic hopped around the desk in front of him, and Kuriboh landed on his head.

Dark Magician Girl of course, landed right next to Shin, draping her arms around him, a cute smile on her face.

" **Something the matter Shi-chan?~"** she asked, pressing her cheek against Shin's.

"A couple things, but first of all" he started, picking Horus up, before turning his sights on Silent Magician. Seeing Shin stare at her, Silent Magician blushed a bit.

" **S-Shin-sama, is something wrong…?"** she asked shyly. Shin shook his head, before answering.

"No, not a problem per say...It's just that I can't help but notice that you're in your LV8 form" he said, referring to the fact that Silent Magician's spirit was in her mature form. He also began petting Horus, something the spirit enjoyed.

" **Oh this?"** Silent Magician asked surprised, looking down at herself. **"As it stands, I can switch between forms, as long as I have enough energy for it. So I was just playing around for a bit~"** she sang, doing a small twirl. And as she did, Shin's sharp eyes caught sight of her...backseat assets, in turn making Shin blush.

" **Ohoho~ Enjoying what you see Shi-chan?~"** Dark Magician Girl teased, seeing Shin's blush. Realizing he was staring, Shin quickly turned his head away, to hide his blush.

"I will not confirm anything!" he declared "...but I will not deny it either.." he mumbled, throwing a quick glance at Silent Magician's form. The spirit herself clueless as to what was happening.

" **Huh? Do you enjoy looking at me Shin-sama?"** she asked innocently, making the blush on Shin's face worsen a bit. **"If it pleases you, then I don't mind you looking at my body Shin-sama."**

The way she said that, coupled with the honest smile on her face, made Shin's turn beet red. Eatos herself gained a small blush, while Dark Magician Girl's grin grew.

" **She's right Shi-chan~ We Spirits need to please you, after all~"** she whispered in Shin's ear, sending a shiver down his spine.

' _Crap, she's activating the hormone card! That's cheating!'_ he screamed internally. He then put Horus down, and cleared his throat.

"Alright, enough" he stood up. "We have a serious problem here. The Games of Darkness."

As soon as he said it, Eatos, Kuriboh and Dark Magician Girl turned serious, while the other three spirits were confused.

" **The Games of Darkness? Here of all places?"** Eatos asked her Master. Shin himself nodding seriously.

"At the Abandoned Dorm, Asuka-chan told me that her brother went missing a while ago. And that he disappeared at the dorm, along with a couple other students. And back at the cafeteria, Daitokuji said that there's a rumor, that the Abandoned Dorm was experimenting with the Games of Darkness, before the students went missing" he explained, going over to the closet, getting a towel out. "Me, Judai, Sho and Hayato are going to the Abandoned Dorm tomorrow night to check it out. I want you guys to be ready for action."

" **You can count on me Shi-chan!"** his partner exclaimed.

" **Me too"** Eatos stated, nodding her head.

" **U-Um, excuse me.."** Shin turned to Silent Magician, who had awkwardly raised her hand. **"What exactly, are the Games of Darkness?"**

" **The Games of Darkness consist of black Magic"** Dark Magician Girl began, getting Silent Magician's attention. **"They were originally used in ancient Egypt three thousand years ago, to do battle. It's the predecessor of today's Duel Monsters. However, they're extremely dangerous. Damage to the player becomes real, and the players themselves could even lose their souls."**

" **They could lose their souls?!"** Silent Magician exclaimed, making Shin nod his head.

"Exactly. Fortunately, they can't be called upon anymore, unless you have one of these" he stated, showing her the Millennium Medallion. "The Millennium Items were the original conductors of the black magic used for the Games of Darkness. They're the only things that can properly control the magic of the Games of Darkness. However, the original seven items were returned to the Millennium Tablet, where they eventually became lost under the sand. This is the only one that remains"

" **But, if these Millennium Items are gone, how is someone able to use the Games of Darkness?"** Silent Magician asked. Eatos answered for Shin.

" **That's exactly it. One shouldn't be able to call upon the Games of Darkness, without the Millennium Items. Simply trying to do so, could result in disastrous consequences."**

"Case in point, the missing students" Shin said, taking his shirt off, getting ready to take a shower. "I'll go and take a shower, and we'll discuss this further tomorrow. Eatos and Dark Magician Girl can continue their explanation for you guys in the spirit realm. I need to go to bed soon. I'm tired"

And with that, Shin stepped in his bathroom, leaving the spirits alone. The silence was broken, when Dark Magician Girl spoke.

" **Well, you heard him everyone. Time to go back"** she told the spirits. The small spirits nodded, and disappeared back in the spirit realm. She then turned back to Silent Magician **"Main point you need to know about the Games of Darkness, is that you should be prepared for anything. That, and that Shi-chan's safety comes first. Us spirits aren't affected by the Games, but Shi-chan's life would be at stake in such a game"**

" **I understand! I'll protect Shin-sama to the best of my abilities!"** she exclaimed, making DMG nod in content.

" **That's what I like to hear! Now let's go back too. Shi-chan needs to get some sleep"** she said, as the three female spirits disappeared.

A while later, Shin stepped out of the bathroom, the towel around his shoulder and his hair still a little damp. Looking around his room, noting it was empty, he sat down on the side of the bed.

Leaning back, he thought back on the events of today.

' _Today was full of surprises but at least it's not boring'_ he thought, a small smile on his face. However, he then narrowed his eyes a bit. _'On one hand, I hope we'll be able to find some more clues about Asuka's whereabouts tomorrow, but on the other hand, I hope we won't find anything out of the ordinary there, and that those rumors are just that.'_

Standing up, he went over to the closet, and threw on a shirt, before going over to the light switch. He briefly looked at the computer, and pondered the idea of trying to hack into the database again, to try and find out about the Abandoned Dorm. But, he quickly stopped, because they already almost caught him before. Trying to hack in again, would most likely get him in some real trouble.

So, he turned off the light, before jumping under the covers, letting sleep overtake him.

On the mainland, inside the Kaiba Corp tower, Seto Kaiba was busy working late, typing away on his computer, as sleep was for the weak.

"Onii-sama!" Mokuba exclaimed, as he burst into the room. Seto didn't stop typing, but did spare his brother a glance.

"Where's the fire Mokuba?" he asked calmly, as his brother caught his breath.

"We found out someone tried hacking into our system!" he exclaimed worriedly.

"Tell me something I don't know" Seto said blankly, surprising Mokuba.

"Wait you knew?"

"Of course I knew Mokuba. As a matter of fact, they hacked into the system hours ago" he stated, drawing a confused look from Mokuba.

"And you didn't try to stop them?" he asked. Seto finally stopped typing, and leaned back into the chair.

"There was no need to. I know who did it" he said.

"And who was it?" his brother asked, sitting down on the couch in Seto's office.

"I traced the signal back to Duel Academia island. Care to fathom a guess?" Seto asked his brother, who suddenly opened his eyes wide.

"Wait, you mean it was-"

"Shin" Seto answered immediately. "He's most likely the culprit. Probably because he's the only one who can actually hack into my system. Still not quite sure if I regret showing him how..." he contemplated, getting out of his chair.

"Do you know why he did it?" the little brother asked, to which Seto shrugged.

"I don't. He only pulled out one file from our system. A satellite photo of Duel Academia" Seto admitted, going over to the window behind him. "But, since it's Shin, I trust he is using that for something important."

"I sure hope you're right. You know Shin attracts all sort of trouble" Mokuba sighed. Seto, actually chuckled a bit.

"Everything will be fine Mokuba. Duel Academia is in safe hands with him" he stated, turning on his heel. "Come on. Let's go home, and call it a day."

"Right behind you!" Mokuba called, as the two walked out of Seto's office.

Later, as the sun began shining upon Duel Academia, two blue orbs opened inside one of the rooms in the Yellow Dorm.

"Mmhh...Man, I need to stop going to bed so late...I'm still tired" the teen yawned, stretching his arms. He didn't get out of bed just yet, however, opting to relax in the softness of his new bed for a little while longer, while he tried to blink the sleep away.

Releasing a breath, he rolled to the side.

 ***THUD***

Simultaneously rolling out of bed, subsequently falling flat on his face.

"Oh yeah, I forgot I usually sleep on the side of the bed...Oww" Shin mumbled, before dragging himself on the floor, into the bathroom. A few minutes later, he walked back out, scratching his head with a sleepy expression still present on his face.

"What time is it anyways?" he asked himself, glancing at the clock on his nightstand. It read 5:30 AM. "Why the hell am I awake so early…?" he groaned, trudging over to his closet.

Opening, he rummaged inside, pulling out a slim black shirt, a pair of normal jeans, and his regular sneakers.

Quickly throwing everything on, he pulled out a comb, and tried to fix his messy bed hair. Once he won the fight with the wild beast, he threw on a white leather jacket with black accents that he found in his closet. He then grabbed his decks, place them into their holsters on his belt, and left.

Stepping outside the dorm, Shin breathed in the pleasant sea air. Feeling the breeze in his face, he released a breath, before beginning to walk aimlessly along the cliff side, admiring the rising sun.

As he walked, he happened to spot the Blue Dorm in the distance. However, it wasn't the boys Dorm, as that was near the academy, and Shin couldn't see that anywhere. He had managed to found the Girls Dorm. Stopping in his tracks, he grinned.

' _Hmm...I wonder...'_ taking out his PDA, Shin pulled up one of the other images he secretly pulled out while hacking yesterday. It was something only the Dorms headmasters and Samejima would need. The room distribution among the dorms.

' _Good thing Kabayama mentioned this yesterday. It's gonna come in handy'_ Shin grinned, looking at the Girls Dorm room distribution. It didn't take long, for him to find Asuka's name and room. _'Bingo. And a room with an ocean view as well? Oh things are getting that much easier'_

Putting his PDA back into his pocket, Shin started to lightly jog toward the Obelisk Blue Dorm. However, as he reached the mansion sized building, he realized the slight flaw in his plans.

"Was the Girls Dorm always in the middle of the lake…?" he sweatdropped, seeing that half of the building was surrounded by water. However that didn't deter him.

Since Asuka's room was conveniently, or unfortunately in this situation, at the top floor, right above the lake, Shin had to find a way to reach her window. And he then noticed the very convenient ledges on the side of the building.

' _Well it's a good thing I play a lot of Assassin's Creed'_ he grinned, tiptoeing his way to the edge of the lake, next to the outer wall.

There, he grabbed onto one of the small ledges on the outer wall, secured his grip, and sprang up, grabbing hold of one of the lower window sills. Climbing up, he began to make his way across the outer wall, silently springing from window sill to window sill, until he was under Asuka's window.

Repeating the initial process, he kept springing from ledge to window sill, rinse and repeat, until he finally reached Asuka's window, at the very top.

Grabbing hold of it, he pulled himself up, using his elbows to keep himself steady, as his only foot leverage at the moment was comprised of an outer wall ledge. Looking through the window, he saw what looked like a fancy hotel room. A big wardrobe, a nightstand with a flat screen TV, a desk with a computer, a door leading to a private bathroom, and finally, a queen size bed. And speaking of the Queen...

On the bed, Shin saw a mess of blonde hair spread on the pillow, along with the peaceful rise and fall of the blankets.

' _Awww...she looks so cute when she's sleeping. Almost makes me feel bad for doing this...Almost.'_ he thought, before knocking on the window. Unfortunately, he had no response. So, he tried again, a little louder this time. Asuka seemed to stir awake, but still no concrete response.

Shaking his head, Shin sighed..

 ***BANG***

..Before he banged his palm on the window, making Asuka jump awake. Startled, she looked around her room, thinking someone just broke into her room, before she heard a knock on the window.

"Morning Asuka-chan!" Shin greeted from outside the window, confusing Asuka, who rubbed her eyes.

She thought it was only a dream, so she fell back on the bed, burying her head in her pillow. However, she heard another knock on her window.

"I'm afraid this isn't a dream!" Shin called, making Asuka groan. Raising her body, she looked at the clock, which now read 6:00 AM. Sighing, she looked back a Shin, who had a childlike grin on his face. She tried to figure out what he was doing at this hour, at her window no less. However, she then noticed how he seemed to be leaning on her window sill, as if he was being pulled down. And then it clicked.

Her room was three stories high, and her window was above the lake, with almost no way to reach it.

Jumping out of the bed, she hurried to the window, and opened it, much to the relief of Shin. Looking down, Asuka saw how Shin was keeping himself stood on one of the wall ledges, his feet dangerously close to slipping.

"Are you crazy, Shin-kun?!" she exclaimed, pulling Shin up through the window, and into her room. "What possessed you to climb up all the way to my room, to wake me up!? I thought you said you were going to text me! Heck, a call would've been just fine!"

"Yeah, I **could** have done that" Shin started, dusting himself off "But where would the fun in that be?" he asked grinning. "Besides, a guy has to stay in shape somehow" he shrugged.

"And your idea of a work out is to climb the Girls Dorm walls?" she deadpanned, before gripping Shin's ear, making him yelp out in pain. "You'd think the one who prevented Sho and Judai from facing expulsion for this very cause, would know better" she reprimanded, pulling on his ear some more.

"Ow! Ow! OK, okay, I'm sorry!" hearing the apology, Asuka released Shin's ear, which had already turned red. "Man, women are too OP..." he mumbled, nursing his aching ear.

Feeling an impending headache, Asuka started massaging her temples, sighing deeply.

"Why do you always do this Shin-kun? And in the early morning too? Can't you try to be normal for once?" she complained, crossing her arms over her bust. Fortunately, she was wearing a pajama this time, so her assets weren't as evident as before.

"Normies are boring!" Shin answered immediately. "Besides, everyone needs some crazy in their life! You were just unfortunate enough to get stuck with me~" he grinned brightly.

Shaking her head, Asuka sighed again, before it turned into a slight chuckle, which raised a small smile on her face.

"I'm not against the idea of a little crazy in my life, but can it **not** be at 6 in the morning?" she asked, raising her eyebrow. Shin seemed to ponder the idea, before he smirked again, Asuka preparing herself.

"Sure it can! Go ahead, crawl back in bed and finish your beauty sleep~" he exclaimed happily, surprising Asuka.

"Wait, really-"

"Buut~" and there it is.. "Know that I'll be waiting right on that stool over there, watching your peaceful form while your sleeping~" he said, pointing at one of the chairs at Asuka's desk.

Sweatdropping, Asuka looked at Shin, hoping he was actually joking. Unfortunately, he seemed dead serious this time. As her shoulders slumped in defeat, Asuka sighed.

"Alright Shin-kun, what do you want?" she asked straight out, knowing Shin must have had some sort of reason to be there.

"Well, you see my dearest Asuka-chan~" he sang, smiling brightly. "I woke up extra early today, so I decided to go for a walk along the cliff side. And as I was walking, I couldn't help but admire the beautiful sunrise. And as I was admiring the sunrise, I passed by the Girls Dorm, so I asked myself" he grabbed Asuka's hand, and lowered himself on one knee, a gesture that made Asuka's eyes widen, as a blush started appearing on his face.

"Would my dearest Asuka-chan like to join me, and watch this beautiful sunrise?"he asked, pulling out his best Prince Charming impression. And it seemed to work, as Asuka's heart skipped a beat.

"I...Uh.. Well.." she tried to answer, but couldn't as she kept getting lost everytime she looked in Shin's icy blue orbs. Snapping herself out of her trance, she shook her head briefly, before taking in a deep breath, to help clear her mind.

After having calmed down, she looked back at Shin's expecting face, smiled and put up her act.

"I'd love to watch the sunrise together with you, my dearest Shin-kun~" she answered, playing it up to Shin's own over dramatic act.

"Hell yeah!" Shin cheered, before realizing he broke character. Coughing, he quickly dropped back on his knee, and bowed his head. "I mean, I am honored you accepted my invitation, milady"

Giggling, Asuka reached out and patted Shin's cheek, raising his face to look at her in the process.

"You just love putting up a show in everything you do, don't you?" she asked, as Shin stood back up and shrugged.

"Meh, I like doing it because it helps get interesting reactions. Though few actually play along, so I really am honored!" he grinned widely.

Smiling, Asuka shook her head at his antics.

"I guess you're welcome then. Now, could you please wait out here, while I go and change? I can't really go out in my pajamas" she said, gesturing toward her light blue pajama top and bottom. "I also need to freshen up a bit, since it's so early."

"Sure thing Asuka-chan! Just, don't fall asleep in there. The sun is just about up, so not a lot of time remains~" he pointed out the window, where the sun had appeared behind the horizon.

"I know, don't worry. I'll be ready in a minute" Asuka said, grabbing some casual clothes, and entering the bathroom.

As she was busy changing and getting freshened up, Shin couldn't help but look around for a bit. A girl's room didn't seem so different from what he thought. Though he did notice a pile of clothes in the corner of the room, something that made him raise an eyebrow in amusement. Even a girl could forget to do laundry.

"OK, I'm all ready to go Shin-kun" Asuka called, as she exited the bathroom. Looking at her, Shin couldn't help but stare for a bit.

She now wore a blue skirt that reached to her upper thigh, a black tank top and light blue cardigan, along with slim blue jeans, and black flats on her feet. She also wore a locket around her neck, and a couple of bracelets on her arms. All in all, she looked ready for a night in the city, not a walk on the beach.

"Oohh, mama...me likes~" Shin mumbled, as his eyes were glued to Asuka's form. Something that made Asuka blush slightly.

"Do you always stare at people Shin-kun?" she asked amused. Snapping out of it, Shin began scratching his head awkwardly.

"Sorry about that, I get carried away sometimes~" he apologized, before grinning. "But, I only stare at at the best girls~" he winked playfully.

"Still as flattering as you were last night, I see" she smirked, going over to his side, leaning teasingly on him. "You certainly know how to make a woman feel special~" she continued their game, which seems to start becoming an actual thing.

 ***Knock**knock***

However, before they could continue with their 'flirting', a knock was heard on the door.

"Asuka-san? Are you awake?" Emi's voice called out from the hallway, making Shin's heart stop for a second. Opening her eyes wide, Asuka quickly turned back to Shin.

"Someone must've heard us earlier! Boy aren't allowed in here without a good reason!" she frantically looked around, searching for a place to hide Shin. "If she catches you, you could be expelled!"

"Then what do I do?!" Shin exclaimed in a shushed tone, almost as frantic as Asuka. He then turned to the window. "Guess I'll have to take a Leap of Faith here…!" however, before he could jump out the window, Asuka grabbed his hand.

"Are you crazy?! You could die!" she exclaimed, before Emi's voice was heard again.

"Asuka-san, are you there?"

"Uh, I'll keep her busy for a while! You go hide!" she explained, hurrying toward the door.

"Hide where?"

"Anywhere!" she exclaimed silently, reaching for the doorknob. Thinking quickly, Shin did the only thing he could, and quickly jumped into Asuka's closet. Just in time, as Asuka opened the door, revealing Emi in her night gown.

"Oh, good morning Asuka-san!" she greeted with a smile. "I was hoping you'd be awake" she noted, looking at Asuka's outfit, raising an eyebrow. "May I ask what the get up is for?"

"Well, you see, Shin-kun invited me to the beach earlier. He wanted to hang out, since he woke up too early and was all alone. And since I myself wake up quite early, I saw nothing wrong with it" she explained, trying her best to not look nervous in front of Emi.

"Oh, I see...Well that's certainly nice of you, keeping a fellow student company~" Emi smiled, before she remembered something "Oh yes, speaking of ..." she said, making Asuka's heart beat a little faster. "Some of the girls downstairs, said they could swear they heard a boy's voice come from your room. You surely know what boy I'm talking about" she raised an eyebrow, looking at Asuka.

"Well, Shin-kun called me on my PDA, while I was letting some fresh air in. So, maybe that's why…?" she asked, smiling awkwardly. Peeking her head inside, Emi noticed the window was wide open, so she looked back at Asuka with a smile.

"Well, I guess there's nothing to worry about then~" she sang, Asuka secretly breathing in relief.

"Was that all?" Asuka asked, hoping Emi would leave soon. The busty teacher nodded her head, turning to leave.

"Yeah, that was all I wanted to talk to you about. I'll let you get back to-"

 ***BUMP***

As Emi was about to end her sentence, a noise was heard coming from the closet, getting Emi's attention, and causing Asuka's heart to skip a beat.

"What was that?" the teacher asked curiously.

"What was what?" Asuka responded, pretending to have not heard anything. Emi raised an eyebrow.

"I heard something coming from you closet, Asuka-san. You aren't hiding anything...or anyone, are you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes a little. The Queen of Obelisk tried her best to keep her poker face up.

"If my own clothes count?" she asked, trying to stay cool. However, Emi still seemed suspicious.

"Oh really?" she asked, getting a nod from Asuka. "Then you won't mind if I take a look right?" she asked, stepping inside the room, heading for the closet. And before Asuka could say anything, Emi swung the doors open, revealing what was inside.

"Clothes?" Emi mumbled confused. Looking inside, Asuka saw just some of her clothes in the closet, hung up on coat hangers. Checking the closet again, Emi slowly closed the doors, and turned back to Asuka with a smile, a coat hanger in her hand.

"Looks like it was a false alarm Asuka-san~" she sang, making her way over to Asuka. "It was just a coat hanger that fell down"

"I-I see.." Asuka mumbled, taking the coat hanger from Emi, confused as to how she actually got away. "Well, I did tell you there wasn't anything in there, other than my clothes, hehe~" she giggled unevenly.

"Alright, so it looks like I'm still a little too tired, so I'll just head back to bed" Emi said, preparing to leave. "I'll let you finish getting ready. Sorry for taking up your time, Asuka-san. Tell Shin-kun I said 'Hello'~" and with that, she took off, heading back to her room.

Closing the door, the first thing Asuka did, was release the breath she was holding. Taking a deep breath, she looked around, before calling out.

"Shin-kun?" she got no response, but before she could call out again, she noticed her pile of clothes started moving. And lo and behold, out of it popped Shin. However...

"Hold on a second, why is everything dark?" he asked, not being able to see anything. Asuka on the other hand, could see what was obscuring his vision, and promptly blushed. Rummaging a bit, he managed to get his hand out of the pile of clothes, and grabbed what was on his face, raising it in the air.

"How intriguing..." he mumbled, staring at the pair of lacy blue panties in his hand "I haven't actually seen a lot of lacy panties before.."

Shin didn't expect to see such lingerie at Duel Academia, in Asuka's room no less. However, before he could study the panties further, a red faced Asuka snatched it out of his hand, and quickly threw it inside her closet.

"M-My clothes aren't some sort of weird experiment! There's no need to analyze them so much!" she exclaimed, clearly embarrassed. "How did you even get in there?!"

"Well, you see-" he started, managing to jump out of the pile of clothes "I am a wizard!" he exclaimed.

Asuka, wasn't amused, and stared at him blankly. Sweatdropping, he raised his arms in surrender.

"Alright, I just slipped out of the closet while Emi-san was distracted and hid in there. But I swear I didn't plan on finding your...lost treasures" he said, chuckling unevenly, trying his best not to anger Asuka again.

The girl herself narrowed her eyes, trying to search for any lies. Fortunately, she found no ill intent, so she let him go.

"Okay, then I guess there's nothing to get angry for" she said, before fixing Shin with a stern look "But I trust you are aware of what will happen if I catch you trying to hide in my lingerie again, right?" she asked, reaching behind her.

"Yes, I know! Please don't pull out the fan!" he said quickly, not wanting to feel the rage of the mighty **paper** fan again. Satisfied, Asuka stopped reaching behind her and looked up with a smile.

"That's better, Shin-kun~" she sang, as Shin sweatdropped. She then reached out, and grabbed his hand, pulling him along behind her. "Now come on, let's get out of here before someone wakes up again"

"Good idea~"

And so, they two made their way through the halls as stealthily as possible, as to not wake anyone else up. Fortunately, since Shin was naturally extremely stealthy when he wanted to, they managed to sneak out of the Girls Dorm without incident.

"That went surprisingly smooth" Asuka remarked, as Shin silently closed the doors.

"Of course it did. You were with me after all~" he grinned, turning back to Asuka. Then he grabbed her hand, and started walking. "Now come on, we can still watch the sunrise if we hurry!" he exclaimed, beginning to jog toward the cliff, making sure not to make Asuka stumble behind him.

After jogging for a few minutes, they finally reached the perfect spot on the cliff side, just as the sun began rising above the horizon.

Sitting down on the grass, the two let the warm glow of the sun wash over them, as a shade of orange enveloped everything. They sat in silence for a while, simply admiring the sun rise, and enjoying the ocean breeze around them.

"You know" Shin broke the silence, looking toward the horizon "You haven't tried to let my hand go yet. Are you actually starting to enjoy holding my hand?" he teased, looking at Asuka with a grin.

"Well, I'd be lying if I said your hands aren't...pleasant to hold" the girl admitted, slightly surprising Shin "But, if I let go you'd just grab it again later, so why bother?" she grinned in return, making Shin chuckle.

"Alright, you got me there. But your hands are just so soft, it's hard not wanting to hold them~" he sang "Besides, it's not like I don't enjoy holding a beautiful girl's hand~" he slid closer, picking off from where they were interrupted in Asuka's room.

Giggling, Asuka did the same, beginning to enjoy this little game of theirs.

"You really are a charmer, Shin-kun~" she sang, leaning her head on his shoulder. "With such a fine man, I envy your future wife~" Asuka nudged him playfully, making Shin giggle lightly.

"Who knows, if you play your cards right, you may very well have that honor~" he grinned looking at Asuka. But what she did next, truly took him by surprise. She suddenly leaned right in his face, lips millimeters apart, staring into his eyes, which in turn made a blush appear on Shin's face.

"You know, I may actually take you up on that offer~" she whispered, Shin feeling her hot breath on his lips. "A fair warning though. I can play pretty..." she leaned in his ear "Rough~"

"I..Uh..A-Ahh..W-Wha..Eeehh..Awaa..!" Shin tried to speak, but failed miserably, whilst his face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"What's wrong, big boy? Cat got your tongue~?" Asuka leaned right back in his face, their lips almost touching. At this point, Shin entire face looked like a tomato, steam coming out from his ears.

"Pfff-! Ahahhaha~!"" Asuka couldn't hold it anymore, and dropped the facade, bursting out laughing. "Oh, you were right Shin-kun, that reaction really is just priceless, ahaha~!"

"Eh?" was all that came out of Shin's mouth, as Asuka tried her best to calm down, but ended up bursting back laughing everytime.

"What, don't you like the taste of your own medicine?" she asked, managing to bring it down to a giggle.

"Wait, that was all an act?!" Shin exclaimed, eyes wide as plate. Of course, his reaction made Asuka burst out laughing again.

"Not so funny now, is it?" Asuka laughed, holding her sides.

Shin opened his mouth to retort, but abruptly stopped. He stood there for a moment, before trying to speak again, only to stop again. In the end, he closed his mouth, letting his head hang low.

"You're right..." he mumbled, shaking his head. "You got me. You got me good."

Hearing him admit defeat, Asuka managed to calm down, breathing in deeply. Looking over, she saw his head still hanging low, so she reached out, and began petting him on the head.

"Oh, don't be like that Shin-kun" she said, making him look up at her.

"I'm not moping because you pranked me." he said, before pouting. "I'm moping because I didn't see it coming.."

Giggling, Asuka looked at the rising sun again, noting that the sunrise was pretty much over now.

"Well, the sun is up" she heard Shin say, as he leaned back on the grass "What now?"

"I don't know. Watching the sunrise was your idea remember? Was that all you wanted to do?" Asuka asked, looking down at Shin. The boy shrugged his shoulders a bit.

"Well, I didn't really know what I was doing after I left the dorm, to be honest" he admitted, looking up at the sky. "I was just walking along the cliff side and saw the sun rising, and I didn't want to watch it alone."

"Wait, so you climbed up to my window, woke me up early, and dragged me out, on a whim?" Asuka asked incredulously, as Shin grinned awkwardly.

"In my defense, did you really expect something else?" he asked, raising a fair point. Something that Asuka seemed to acknowledge. But then, Shin remembered something. "Hold on a sec. Earlier with Emi-san, your excuse was that I invited you to the beach, right?"

Asuka thought for a moment, before opening her eyes in surprise.

"You want to go to the beach?" she asked surprised. Shin stood up, and brushed himself off.

"Well, it's better than just laying around here for no reason. So, why not?" he asked, helping Asuka back to her feet. The girl dusted her skirt off, before answering.

"Well, of course we can go...but I don't have a swimsuit" she admitted awkwardly, looking away. "What is it?" she asked, noticing that Shin was staring blankly at her.

"Swimsuit?" the boy deadpanned. "What's so special about a swimsuit? I've never actually understood that. It's just another piece of fabric, no different than what you have on right now. You might as well swim in your bra and panties, and it would make no difference" he explained.

"Well...you're not wrong" Asuka admitted quietly. But Shin heard it, so he smiled brightly, grabbing Asuka's hand.

"Then there's no problem!" he exclaimed, beginning to make him way to the beach, dragging Asuka behind him.

"B-But we don't have any towels with us either!" she exclaimed, stumbling a bit. Her answer, came in the form of a light blue towel Shin pulled out of nowhere.

"I grabbed this when Emi knocked at your door. Remember how I was originally planning on jumping in the lake? Well, I wanted to at least have something to try and dry myself with." he explained, giving Asuka the towel. "Is there anything else, that milady requires?" he inquired, looking back at Asuka with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I would have said a swimsuit was optimal, but I'm afraid you will actually pull out a girls swimsuit from somewhere, so I'll just leave it at the towel" Asuka responded, not wanting to see whether or not Shin was capable of producing a swimsuit for her, for various reasons.

"Then, off to the beach we go!" he exclaimed, taking off toward the beach, as Asuka tried to keep up with him, simultaneously trying not to lose her shoes and towel.

After running for a few minutes, Shin and Asuka had finally reached the expanse of sand on the island. Stepping onto the cool sand, they headed toward the shack that was conveniently built on the beach.

"Wow, I didn't expect them to have a beach shack as well. Duel Academia is equipped for just about anything huh?" Shin noted, entering the medium size shack.

"Well, not all students leave home during vacations. Not to mention it can get quite hot on the island, so students can come here to cool off and enjoy themselves." Asuka said, stepping onto the wooden deck. "What are you actually looking in there for Shin-kun?"

From within the shack, Asuka heard a couple of items crashing together, causing her to sweatdrop. And then, random things started flying out of the shack, passing right by Asuka's face.

An old wooden chair,

Some table legs,

A couple of balls,

Pharaoh,

Some fishing nets-

"Wait Pharaoh?!" Asuka exclaimed, as the pudgy cat was suddenly flung out of the door, right into her arms. Securing a good grip on the cat, Asuka quickly took a step back, sweatdropping as more objects flew out of the door.

"Damn, what's with all this junk!?" she heard Shin yell from within the shack. "Ah, here they are!"

Then, two long beach chairs, a yellow and a blue one, flew out of the door, landing on the sand, followed by a folding table. As Asuka took a step forward however, something like a spear flew right by her face, making her yelp in surprise.

"Phew~ you wouldn't believe what kind of mess is in there" Shin said, stepping out of the shack, dusting his hands off.

"I can imagine..." Asuka mumbled, glancing at the random objects Shin threw out of the shack. "Why was Pharaoh in there?" she asked confused.

"Wait what?" the boy replied equally confused, finally noticing the striped cat in Asuka's arms. "Oh, hey Pharaoh! I didn't even notice you! What were you doing in there?" he scratched the cat behind the ears, earning a satisfied 'meow'.

"Maybe he was searching for rats?" Asuka concluded, beginning to pet the feline as well.

"I don't think so. I mean, look at him. Daitokuji definitely feeds him more than he feeds himself. Besides, I didn't see any rats in there. Only a couple of swimsuits" he said, surprising Asuka. "If you're still bothered by swimming in your lingerie, then you can go inside and try some of those swimsuits on. I think they can fit you just fine" the girl thought for a moment, before passing Pharaoh over to Shin.

"Then please excuse me for a moment" she said, stepping inside the shack.

"Uh, I'll just set everything up while you get ready then!" Shin called back, getting an 'Okay' from Asuka. Stepping on the beach, avoiding the junk he threw out, he made his way over to the important stuff.

Placing Pharaoh down, he reached over and picked up the two chairs, setting them over a little distance away from the shack. He then picked up the folding table, and set it up between the chairs. He then grabbed the final object, the giant beach umbrella and placed it in the hole on the table, stabbing it into the sand. Adjusting the chairs to be in the shade of the umbrella, he picked up Pharaoh again, and checked the clock on his PDA.

"It almost 7 AM" he remarked, walking over to the shack. "Hey Asuka are you ready?" calling out to the girl, Shin waited for a bit, before Asuka stepped out on the deck. As his sights landed on her, so did his jaw land on the sand.

She was wearing a black bikini with white accessories, and a frilly see through white skirt wrapped around her waist, her locket and bracelets still present, while her hair was pulled up in a ponytail. The bikini itself seemed to accentuate Asuka's curves, and her flawless skin. And Shin was currently thanking every God he knew, for being able to witness such a blessing.

"It's a size smaller that what I'd usually wear, but it was the only one that actually fit, and I kind of liked it" Asuka said, stepping back on the beach. As she said that, Shin finally noticed how the bikini did seem to be a little tight on her body. And thus, he began staring again. As his cheeks began to warm up "So, enjoying the view?" she smirked, referring to the light blush on Shin's face.

"Oh I definitely am..." he mumbled, not able to take his eyes off her body. Giggling, she went over and poked him in the chest using her index finger.

"Well, I went ahead and changed. But what about you? Are you really going to go in the water wearing all of that~?" she grinned, taking Pharaoh from his arms. "You can't be the only one enjoying the view~"

Smirking, Shin stepped back, and dropped his jacket, throwing it on one of the chairs. He then took off his shirt, secretly removing his medallion along with it, revealing a pretty toned physique for a 15 year old, something Asuka subconsciously bit her lip at. He then took off his shoes, socks, and finally dropped the jeans, leaving him in his trunks. Which, conveniently, just so happened to be swimming trunks too.

"Oh hey, I didn't even realize I put on swimming trunks this morning. Fate sure is unpredictable, huh~?" he giggled, scratching the back of his head. Getting no response, he looked at Asuka, only to see her staring at his upper body. "So, are you enjoying the view?" he grinned, crossing his arms, also snapping Asuka out of her staring.

"W-Well...I would be lying if I said no.." she blushed a bit, turning her head to the side. But she still threw a quick glance at Shin's body.

"Well, now that we're both eye candy for our respective gender groups, are we going to keep standing here, or are we going to go for a dip in the water?" Shin suggested, as Asuka pondered the idea for a while.

"Alright, I don't see why not~" she placed Pharaoh on one of the beach chairs, the cat curling up and going to sleep. She then made her way toward the ocean, together with Shin.

Stepping in, she shivered a bit, as the water was still quite cold. However, slowly but surely, she began gradually making her way in, adjusting to the water with every step she took. As the water reached to he upper thigh, she looked over at Shin..

"Go big or go home!" she heard him yell.

 ***SPLASH***

...Before he dived right into the water with a splash, drenching Asuka in cold water all of a sudden.

"Kya! That's cold!" she exclaimed, freezing up as water dripped down her body.

A few seconds later, Shin emerged from under the water, shaking his head of the excess water in his hair. He then noticed Asuka, holding her shoulders, shaking quite a lot from the cold water.

"I suggest you just jump in Asuka-chan. The temperature difference should make the water feel a lot warmer." he said, but Asuka was busy trying her damn best to not hyperventilate from how cold she was right now.

So, shaking his head, Shin reached over, grabbed her hand, and dragged her out into the water, submerging her to her neck within a few seconds. Taking in deep breaths at first, Asuka's heart rate began to calm down within moments of being under the water, as her body adjusted to the temperature.

Taking another deep breath, she turned to Shin, and flicked him on the forehead.

"A little warning before you drench me in cold water next time. Not everyone can take the cold as well as you" she reprimanded, as Shin rubbed his forehead a bit.

"Come on, it couldn't have been **that** bad, right? It's not exactly blazing hot outside, so the temperature difference shouldn't be so radical" Shin said, leaning back in the water, floating about.

"It's still cold water out of the blue. My body could've went into shock you know!" she exclaimed, pushing Shin under the water for a second. As he reemerged, he coughed a bit, before replying.

"The water isn't that cold yet. It only felt cold because the wind on the beach is strong. That's why I said to just jump in. That way you don't feel the wind make the cold feeling worse"

Asuka didn't say anything, instead she just splashed some water in Shin's face, before going for a little swim out into the ocean. Rubbing the water from his eyes, Shin followed suit.

"So, want to race to the lighthouse?" he asked, floating beside Asuka.

"The light house is a little too far away, don't you think?" the girl replied, twisting her body around, floating on her back beside Shin. "No matter how good a swimmer you are, the current there is just too strong, not to mention you'd be crushed against the rocks by the waves."

As she said that, something seemed to click within Shin's mind. A sense of Déjà Vu, if you will. However, he just couldn't place his finger on it. It's like his memory had a gap.

"Shin-kun?" he heard Asuka's voice "You alright there? You've gone quiet all of a sudden."

"Oh, it's nothing don't worry" Shin grinned. "It's just that I got a feeling of Déjà Vu all of a sudden..." he said, looking up at the sky "Something happen at the lighthouse recently?" he mumbled.

"Well, that's where they found Kenji the other day?" Asuka fathomed a guess, which almost immediately made a light bulb turn on above Shin's head.

"Oh yeah, that's right!" he exclaimed, raising his body up, floating in place. "I haven't actually checked the lighthouse properly yet. Maybe I could find some clues there..."

"Me and Ryo went there after they found Kenji. We didn't notice anything out of the ordinary" Asuka said, floating next to Shin.

"Who's Ryo?" Shin asked, raising an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name.

"He's a senior Obelisk Blue, and a good friend of mine" Asuka answered "You've heard of him, just not by his name, only his title."

"And that title is?" the boy inquired, swimming around Asuka for a bit.

"He's the 'Kaiser' at Duel Academia" the girl replied, making Shin stop in his tracks.

"Wait...the Kaiser?" seeing Asuka nod, he inquired further "As in, the best duelist at the academy, Kaiser?"

"Yes, that's him" Asuka nodded her head, as Shin's face lit up with glee.

"Say can you introduce me to him?!" he exclaimed gleefully, floating right in Asuka's face, surprising her a bit.

"U-Uh, yeah, of course I can" she sweatdropped a bit "but, why are you so excited all of a sudden?"

"Because I wanna duel him!" Shin responded immediately, making Asuka do a double take.

"Wait, you want to duel him?" she asked incredulously. Shin nodded his head excitedly "But he's the Kaiser" she pointed out, getting no reaction "The top Obelisk blue" yet again, nothing "The best student at the academy!"

"And that's exactly why I wanna duel him!" he exclaimed happily "I want to see what the academy has to offer. Because my goal, is to become the best duelist here. And to do that, I need to beat the Kaiser one day" he smirked, leaning back into the water.

Asuka looked at him, eyes wide, while he kept floating around her like an otter, a smile still present on his face. Shaking her head, she releases a small sigh, before looking back at him with a small smile.

"Alright, fine. I'll introduce you two tomorrow" she said, before following Shin's example, and leaning back in the water "But today, I just want to relax for a bit~" she sighed in content, closing her eyes.

The two kept floating about side by side, letting the water current carry them around, enjoying the peace and quiet. However, they held hand, to make sure they didn't accidentally drift apart. A few minutes later, Asuka started feeling her skin start to wrinkle around her fingers, so she decided they spent enough time in the water.

Raising her body, she looked beside her, where she noticed Shin.

"Zzz.." she also heard a light snoring, something that made her raise an eyebrow in amusement.

She then reached over, and gently poked his cheek, making him release a little groan. She tried it again, getting the same result. However, the third time, Shin tried to swat her hand away, and turned on his side, only to flip face down in the water, and inhale some water, immediately waking him up.

 ***cough**hack***

He swiftly rose back above the surface, and began coughing violently. Of course, Asuka quickly began patting him on the back, to help him cough up all the water he inhaled.

"Ah, *cough* t-thanks Asuka-chan *cough*" he coughed a few more times, before finally calming down. "Man, that was certainly one way to wake up" he remarked.

"I'll say" Asuka agreed, giggling lightly. "I've never seen someone fall asleep so quickly, especially on water."

"Well, after that insomnia episode, I've been practicing falling asleep whenever" Shin admitted, before dunking himself in the water for a second, to wake himself up for real.

"Insomnia?" Asuka inquired, raising an eyebrow. Shin nodded his head.

"Yeah, on the first day actually" he replied "After you saved us from getting caught in the duel arena, I went back to bed, but ended up staying awake for the majority of the night. I even passed out with my eyes open, which led to them getting a little dried up."

"I was wondering why you came to class wearing sunglasses of all things" Asuka remarked curiously "Well, as long as you're alright now, then I guess it's fine"

"Yeah, I recover pretty quickly, so there's nothing to worry about!" he grinned brightly. Nodding her head, Asuka pointed toward the beach.

"We should probably go back. We've been in the water for a while now" she showed him her hand, which had begun wrinkling up.

"Oh shoot, you're right" he noted, looking at his own wrinkled up hand. "Alrighty then, let's go back!"

And so, they two swam back to the beach, reaching it pretty quickly.

Stepping back onto the sand, Shin shook his head like a pup, getting rid of the water in his hair. Asuka also got rid of the excess water in her hair, only not as violently as Shin. She simply grabbed it, and squeezed the water out of it, like one would do with wet clothes. They then went over to the chairs Shin set up. Asuka grabbed Pharaoh, who had been peacefully sleeping the entire time, sat down and began petting the cat on the head, enjoying the warm rays of sun.

In the meanwhile, Shin had disappeared back into the shack, coming out a while later with two drinks in his hands. Placing one next to Asuka, and the other drink next to his own chair, he sat down, and leaned in the chair, taking a sip from his cocktail.

"Ahh~" Shin sighed in content "This is really nice~"

"Indeed" Asuka replied, relaxing in the chair, sipping her own drink.

The two sat down in silence, enjoying the calming sound of the waves, occasionally sipping from their drinks. That was, until they heard the voices of the other students in the distance. Looking over, Shin noticed a handful of students, rushing toward the beach, ready to have some fun.

"Looks like we're getting some company" he remarked, as Asuka looked over, noticing the students as well.

"Well, there goes the peace and quiet" she sighed slightly, getting out of the chair. "Want to head back?" she asked, stretching her arms a bit.

"Well, I guess we had our fun swimming" he sighed, standing back up as well. "Sure, let's head back. The wind is starting to pick up as well, and we both know how you get~" he teased, receiving a flat show to the face, courtesy of Asuka.

"Don't get cocky" Asuka warned, placing Pharaoh on the ground, before he meowed and left the two. She then grabbed her towel, and began quickly drying herself of any excess water Finally, she slipped on her skirt and tank top, holding her lingerie in her hand, using the cardigan to cover it up.

After apologizing, he gave Asuka her shoe back. Grabbing their cups, he brought them back in the shack, coming out a moment later. He then grabbed his own clothes, turning around to put his shirt on.

 ***gasp***

Hearing Asuka gasp, he quickly turned around, looking if something happened. Instead, he only saw Asuka, covering her mouth with her hand, eyes wide.

' _Oh that's right...'_ he sighed, putting his shirt on. "You saw it right?" he asked silently, throwing his jacket on. He didn't need to look at Asuka, to know she nodded.

"I already explained what happened back at the lighthouse. Guess now you know just how far I got in over my head." he said solemnly.

Throwing his medallion around his neck, he grabbed his jeans and shoes, and turned back to Asuka.

"So, are you all ready to go Asuka-chan~?" he smiled, completely dropping the gloomy atmosphere around them.

"U-uh, yeah, I'm all set" she answered, slightly taken aback by the sudden attitude change.

"Then let's go!" he exclaimed happily, grabbing Asuka's hand, and beginning to make their back.

And as they stepped off the beach, the group of students from before came bounding in, right past them. However, they abruptly stopped, turned around, and watched on as Asuka and Shin left the beach, hand in hand. The group consisted of two boys and three girls, all of them Obelisk Blues. And while the boys mouths dropped, upon noticing what they saw as the new 'couple', the girls were all too giddy to start whispering among themselves.

Walking back along the cliff side, Shin was busy humming a merry tune, a cheery smile on his face. On the other hand, Asuka was still thinking about what she saw on Shin's back.

' _I thought it would be a big scar, from what I saw on the dock that night...but I would not have imagined it covered almost all of his back..'_ she thought, glancing at Shin's back.

"There's no point in worrying about it" Shin said, snapping Asuka out of her thinking. "It happened years ago. I told you it was all healed up by now, so there's no reason to keep thinking about it" he explained, looking back at Asuka.

Asuka didn't say anything, but did nod her head. The two kept walking in silence for a bit, until Shin spoke up again.

"How long do you think it will take, before the rumors start?" he asked, amusement clear in his voice.

"Rumors?" she tilted her head curiously. Shin nodded his head, and raised their still linked hands.

"Those students saw us y'know. And while you may not have heard it, the girls were whispering amongst themselves as soon as we left the beach~" he giggled, as Asuka widened her eyes a bit.

"Oh boy..." she sighed. "I'm certain I'll hear about this as soon as those girls get back"

"Then do you want to take camp in my room, until night sets in?" Shin suggested, to which Asuka shook her head.

"That would only make things worse" she replied, as the two neared the dorms.

"Don't worry about it! That's what we wanted to happen after all~" he sang, turning back to Asuka with a smile. While she was confused at first, Asuka remembered what Shin suggested to her last night in the forest.

"Are you going to back out?" he asked, looking at Asuka with a grin.

"I'm no quitter" she answered, a small smirk on her face. "But it's your responsibility if things go out of hand~" she sang, walking past Shin.

"Leave it to me then~" he smiled, catching up to Asuka.

Soon enough, the Girls Dorm appeared in the distance, the yellow Dorm in the opposite direction. Coming to a halt, Asuka turned to Shin.

"Well, looks like this is where we part ways for now" she smiled "Thanks for taking me with you today. It was really nice~"

"No worries, Asuka-chan!" Shin grinned "I always enjoy the company~" he winked playfully, making Asuka chuckle.

"Keep those for Monday~" she lightly flicked him on the forehead, making him take a step backward. "Flatterer" she smirked, giving him a final wink, before turning around and heading toward her dorm.

Looking on as Asuka's form disappeared in the distance, Shin shook his head with a smirk.

' _Oh, Monday will finally be a day to enjoy~'_ he turned around, beginning to make his way back to his own dorm.

On the way, he checked his PDA, noting it was almost 8 AM. Figuring students were starting to wake up, he wondered if Misawa was up yet.

As he reached the yellow Dorm, he made his way inside, noting how the halls were still pretty empty. Conveniently enough, as he reached his room, Misawa stepped out of his own.

"Oh, Shin! A good morning to you" he greeted, Shin nodding his head.

"Morning Misawa-chan~" the boy smiled brightly. "How are you?

"I'm quite alright, thank you for asking. But what about you? Where have you been Shin?" Misawa asked curiously, as Shin ran a hand through his still wet hair.

"I was swimming with Asuka-chan. We've been at it for the past hour or so~" he smiled, as Misawa gained a slight blush.

"You two were...swimming?" he asked, getting a nod in return. "That means...you saw her in a-"

"Bikini?" Shin grinned teasingly. Misawa didn't need to answer, as his blush was a dead giveaway. "If you had woken up earlier, maybe you could've joined us~" he teased, entering his room.

Left alone in the hallway, Misawa cursed himself for not getting out of bed earlier, before leaving toward the dining hall.

Inside his room, Shin threw his jacket on one of the chairs in the room, grabbed a towel from his closet, and went to the bathroom, to take a proper shower and clean the salt water from his hair.

A couple minutes later, he stepped out of the shower, hair damp, in his trunks, and threw his clothes in his laundry bin. He then put on a new pair of trunks, and threw on the clothes he fell asleep in last night.

" ***Yawn*"** he heard a female yawn coming from his deck. A tiny light then flew out, after which Dark Magician Girl plopped onto Shin's bed, dressed in nothing but a loose shirt and lacy purple panties. **"Morning Shi-chan~"** she mumbled, hugging onto a pillow.

"I'm afraid that's neither me, nor my actual pillow version" Shin giggled, as DMG opened her eyes, and looked at the pillow she was hugging.

" **Oh...well it's still comfy and huggable~"** she smiled in content, hugging the pillow further. Shaking his head amused, Shin plopped on the bed right next to her, staring at the ceiling.

"So, did you and Eatos finish the lesson about the Games of Darkness while I was showering?" he asked. His partner raised her body, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

" **We did. Everyone knows what to expect, and are ready to go~"** she smiled, bringing a smile on Shin's face as well.

"Alright then" he nodded his head. "While I still hope all the Games of Darkness rumors are just that, we need to be prepared for anything"

" **You know you can always count on us~"** she smiled. However, she suddenly pounced on Shin, leaning close to his face. The boy, promptly blushed at the close proximity. **"Now...Can you explain why I can smell another female's scent on you~?"** she asked sweetly.

"Well, uh.." Shin began sweating a bit, trying to tread carefully "I woke up early today, so I went out for a walk. And then, I happened upon the girls Dorm, and invited Asuka to walk with me" he explained. "But I may or may not have ended up hiding in her laundry because of...circumstances..." he mumbled, facing away. Until Dark Magician Girl gently cupped his face, and swiftly made him face her again, her smile still present.

" **Oh really? Because I can smell another...distinct woman fragrance on you~"** she said, leaning even closer, her emerald green orbs staring intently in Shin's icy blue eyes. **"Specifically, on your face~"** she took a quick whiff, to emphasize her point.

"I, may or may not have accidentally fished a pair of Asuka-chan's panties..." he mumbled, a light blush making it's way on his face.

" **Oh~?"** Dark Magician Girl raised an eyebrow **"I you wanted to smell a girl's panties, why didn't you ask me~"** she asked smiling, taking Shin by surprise.

"Wait what?" he blurted out dumbfounded. His partner nodded her head, leaning in, her lips stopping mere millimeters from Shin's own.

" **You know I would do anything for you, Shi-chan" **she whispered huskily, making Shin's face lit up like a Christmas tree again.

' _Oh God it's happening again!'_ Shin yelled in his mind, before realizing something _'Wait a second...Asuka did the same thing...She must've been watching and is trying to tease me~'_ he grinned, looking back at his partner, who was actually licking her lips.

"So, you would do anything for me~?" he asked amused, as DMG nodded her head, her face becoming a little red. "Alright then...I want you.." he began, as Dark Magician Girl raised an eyebrow. "To call me Master~" he chuckled, thinking he was playing along with his partner's game.

" **Of course Master~"** she answered immediately, catching Shin off guard. **"Would Master like anything? A nice breakfast?"** she whispered in his right ear **"Perhaps a nice, hot, bath with his servant?"** she switched over to the left ear **"Or perhaps~"** she raised her upper body above Shin, blonde strands of hair falling falling next to his face. Looking up, Shin saw his partners...assets, very close to his face, also noting the hungry expression on Dark Magician Girl's face, a dark red blush present.

" **Or maybe, you would**

 **Like**

 **to**

 **have**

 **M-e?"** she leaned in with every word, stopping right in front of Shin's face, the boy feeling her hot breath on his lips. However, something seemed off.

' _Her breath is a little too hot..'_ Shin noted, but it was cut short, when he noticed his partner begin to lean in. Panicking, he thought she was actually going to take the plunge…

 ***plop***

However, he was surprised when Dark Magician Girl just collapsed right on top of him. Sweating bullets, he heard his partners breath become really ragged.

"Oi, are you okay?" he asked, but got no response. He tried again, but to no avail. Panicking, he stood up, and tried to shake Dark Magician Girl awake. "Mana, can you hear me? Mana!"

After the Ceremonial Battle ended, and Atem passed on, Shin decided to give Dark Magician Girl the name 'Mana', as he thought it would be fitting to call her by an actual name, instead of 'Dark Magician Girl' the entire time. And what was more fitting, then the name of her original summoner. However, he only called her that when there was something serious happening. And right now, the situation was getting quite serious, as DMG's face kept heating getting hotter, her breath ragged.

"Eatos, Silent Magician, I need you!" he called out. Almost immediately, the two spirits emerged from the deck, however…

" **I-Is something wrong..S-Shin-sama..?"** Eatos asked shakily, as her face was burning up as well. And it looked like Silent Magician wasn't fairing any better, as she reverted back to her Loli form. Looking back at his partner, he noticed her solid form had begun turning translucent, meaning her power was draining at a rapid rate. The same for his other two spirits.

"What has happened to you all?" Shin asked baffled, seeing the spirits need to hold onto something to stay upright.

" **W-we don't k-know..e-everything was just fine l-last night..."** Silent magician got out, holding onto Eatos's dress.

" **But it o-only affects us female..s-spirits"** Eatos continued, feeling quite light headed.

"Just female spirits…?" Shin mumbled confused. "Wait, but does that mean the **male** spirits are just fine?" he asked. To his utter relief, Eatos nodded her head.

" **Y-Yes...the male spirits weren't a-affected by this...w-whatever it is.."** she got out.

Looking back at his partner, Shin saw that her state hasn't improved, and a look at Eatos and Silent Magician showed that they were getting worse too.

' _I can only think of one way to help them..'_ he thought, glancing over at his trunk.

Hurrying over, he hastily opened the trunk, and began removing all the stacks of cards that he had. Once the trunk was cleared, he grabbed a nail file that was on his desk, and stabbed it into the side of the velvet cover in the trunk. He pulled it along to the side, and pulled it off, revealing a single secret compartment. And it in, was a very special card.

' _He is the only the one who may have a clue as to what needs to be done...and actually speaks to me..'_ he sweatdropped, grabbing the card. He then tapped the card twice, before slamming it on his desk.

"Come out, Dark Magician!" Shin called, as the card lit up, a black tornado erupting from it. As the tornado cleared, in the middle of the room stood the ultimate wizard, in his original purple outfit.

" **Shin? Why did call me?"** he asked, looking at the young teen confused. Before Shin could even answer however, he looked at the other spirits present, as if sensing something wrong.

"It's Mana! And the other female spirits for that matter. I don't know what's happening to them!" he tried to explain as best as he could, his panic becoming quite evident. Dark Magician made a calm down gesture, attempting to stop the child's worries.

" **Don't fret"** he said calmly. He then raised his hand toward the spirits. And within moments, some sort of fog enveloped the room. Shin himself could feel how the temperature suddenly dropped.

Looking over at his spirits, his keen eyes noticed how the redness on their cheeks began to gradually disappear, and their breathing calmed down as well. Confused, but thankful, he looked back at the Dark Magician, who lowered his hand. Eatos and Silent Magician then slowly slid down on the floor, falling asleep

" **There's nothing to worry about"** the wizard explained, not even needing to hear Shin's question. **"For something like this to happen, is very rare. However, it's nothing serious"**

"But what is it? Mana just collapsed out of the blue, and Eatos along with Silent Magician were barely standing on their feet" Shin said, a confused expression on his face. Dark Magician, released an awkward chuckle.

" **Well...you see, this is something that happens, when a spirits...devotion to it's master increases...a lot more than it should.."** he tried to explain, while tiptoeing around the actual subject. However, Shin's face remained confused. Sighing, he tried again, a little sweatdrop on his cheek.

" **This happens, when a spirit..uh...wants to be with it's Master...but as something..more than partners..."** he said, breathing in relief as Shin's face lit up.

"Oh, so they're horny?" he asked blankly, making Dark Magician do a double take.

" **Well...I guess that's one way to put it..."** he sweatdropped, regaining his usual blank face **"But, I think referring to it as being 'in heat' is more fitting."**

"They're in heat?" Shin asked, as the Dark Magician made a so-so gesture.

" **More or less. Human spirits shouldn't normally get like this, but if they're in the presence of animal spirits, the sensation may be passed over. That's why I said it doesn't usually happen"** the spirit explained, making Shin nod in understanding. **"Though, this is the first time I've actually seen Dark Magician Girl get like this"** he said, looking at his disciple, peacefully asleep on the bed.

"Wait, the first time?" the Dark Magician nodded his head. "But didn't Yugi have Berfomet and Gazelle in his deck? Those are animal duel monsters" he said, raising an eyebrow. Dark Magician sighed, before answering with another question.

" **Did she start acting...weird as of late?"** he asked.

"Well, she has been taking her teases to more...seductive extremes" he said, before his eyes opened suddenly. "Wait a second, you don't mean she-"

" **Developed feelings for you?"** Dark Magician guessed, taking the words right out of Shin's mouth. The boy himself nodded soundlessly. **"She may be a spirit, but I'm afraid she still feels the same emotions a normal human does"** he said, releasing a small breath **"And while I'm a master in the art of wizardry and not romance, even I can tell that the feelings she holds for you, are much more personal, than your other spirits."**

Shin, was left speechless. The spirit he has known for years, someone he considered a big sister, maybe even a mother figure, started developing romantic feelings for him. He couldn't believe it. No, he didn't know what to do about it.

" **If it helps, there's a certain...aura around you"** Shin looked at the Dark Magician confused. **"That's right. I can feel it clearly. There's a certain, air of superiority around you. For males, it shows power, demanding of respect and loyalty. However, for women, it's something akin to a pheromone. The air of power around you, draws in females that are able to sense it. It's a cardinal desire in all beings. To produce strong offsprings, the best for their species"** the Dark Magician explained. **So, whether you wanted to or not, she would have fallen for you sooner or later, due to the amount of time you two spend together, and the bond you two share."**

"But, why did it start now? Why didn't it happen sooner?" the young boy asked, whilst the Dark Magician shrugged.

" **The only possible explanation I have, is that your power has begun maturing. Either that, or it's running out of control"**

"Running out of control?" Shin repeated, the wizard nodding.

" **Dark Magician Girl told me that you and your alter ego have managed to come into contact more and more as of late, is that true?"**

"Well, we've actually met eye to eye only twice" Shin admitted, sitting at the desk. "Was that enough to make this power run out of control?"

" **Maybe not that alone, but if your split power somehow merged for a moment, then that could've been the trigger"** Dark Magician surmised.

As he said that, Shin's mind went back to the Duel against Jinzo. He knew there was something off during that duel.

" **Well, that's just a theory, so nothing is set in stone. However, what I do know, is that Dark Magician Girl will undoubtedly experience this sensation again"** he said, making Shin look back at him.

"So what should I do? Should I call you again whenever it happens?" the wizard shook his head.

" **There's no need to. Put me in your deck, and I'll deal with it whenever it happens"** he explained, waving his staff toward the sleeping spirits. They then turned back into light, and floated over to Shin's deck.

"But what about the other spirits? Why did they get like this?" the boy asked.

" **I can only guess that they're also quite devoted to you. But, I don't think they feel the same type of feelings as the Dark Magician Girl, since they were actually able to stay awake and standing."** Dark Magician explained, as Shin nodded his head.

"Will this happen often?" he asked, as the magician shrugged his shoulders.

" **I can't say. First things first, we should wait until Dark Magician Girl figures out her own feelings for you, and we'll go from there. But, I'll be honest and say that it would be best for both of you, if she accepted her feelings. While it's not deadly, this sensation of heat may leave lasting damage over time. It would be best if you didn't use her, or any of your female spirits for the day"** he said, his form turning translucent. **"Another thing"** Shin looked at the blue haired magician **"Your aura may intensify, based on your own emotions as well. Best start thinking, about whether you actually reciprocate her feelings or not"**

And with that, Dark Magician turned into a ball of light, and floated over to the other spirits, falling back into the deck.

Left alone in silence, Shin went over to his bed, and plopped down on the soft mattress, letting himself sink in it. Staring up at the ceiling, Shin thought back on what Dark Magician said. Feeling a strange, unknown sensation in his chest, Shin had but one thought.

.

.

.

' _Am I... falling in love?'_

As night slowly befell the island, Shin found himself walking toward the lighthouse. He was currently wearing simple black denim jeans, and a plain white T-shirt, along with his Ra jacket on his shoulders.

He spent quite a while thinking on what Dark Magician told him, trying to understand his own feelings. However, he ultimately fell asleep trying to do so. And just like that, he had breezed through most of the day, waking up as the sun had begun it's descent behind the horizon.

Since he still had some time before he and his friends were to go to the Abandoned Dorm, so in the meanwhile he decided to go check out the lighthouse, hoping the sound of waves would give him some peace of mind for the day.

Arriving at the lighthouse, he stepped inside. After a couple flights of stairs, he stepped inside the room right under the light projector. Taking a look out of the window, he simply stood there in silence, eyes closed listening as the waves crashed against the rocks. However, his eyes suddenly opened, upon noticing a presence behind him.

"Huh, and here I thought me and Asuka were the only ones who came here late at night." Shin heard the person said, the voice belonging to a male. A male Shin knew.

Turning around, Shin was surprised to see the same boy that helped him find Samejima's office on the first day of school, and the one who watched Shin's duel against Kenji with Asuka. It was then that he drew the dots.

"You must be the Ryo Asuka-chan told me about this morning" Shin looked at Ryo with a grin on his face.

"Ryo Marufuji" he said, extending his hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine" Shin grasped Ryo's hand, giving it a firm handshake "The name's Shin~"

"I know. Asuka told me quite a lot about you" Ryo smiled, going over to Shin's side, looking out the window.

"Oh really~" Shin raised an eyebrow "I'm intrigued. What did she say about me?"

"Nothing bad, I assure you" Ryo chuckled a bit "Mostly how...eccentric you can be" he glanced over at Shin, who scratched his head with an awkward giggle.

"Well, she's certainly not wrong~" he sweatdropped "But in my defense, I get excited very easily~"

"So I've noticed" Ryo said amused. "So, Shin. What are you doing here at this hour?" he asked, glancing at the dual haired teen.

"Well, I just needed a quiet place to think for a while. The yellow dorm was quiet until everyone came back from the beach, duel arena, card shop, etc. And so, the lighthouse seemed like the perfect choice." he told Ryo, throwing a quick glance out the window, and down at the rocks below. And as he did, an image of Kenji hanging on a rope briefly appeared in his mind, causing him to widen his eyes.

"Something wrong?" Ryo raised an eyebrow, seeing Shin's eyes widen suddenly. The teen shook his head a bit, giggling unevenly.

"Oh, sorry about that...I just didn't realize how high up we were..ehehe~"

"Are you afraid of heights?" Ryo guessed, stepping away from the window.

"Well, I can deal with heights just fine...it's those rocks downstairs that I'm afraid of" he replied, throwing a careful glance at the rocks below. "Sheesh, no wonder Asuka said swimming around the lighthouse was dangerous."

"Oh yeah, Asuka told me you two went out swimming today" Ryo remarked, before sweatdropping "Right after she was swarmed by a group of Obelisk Girls, asking her if you two were a couple.."

"Oh, ooohhh~" Shin grinned "So it's begun~" he said, making Ryo raise an eyebrow. "Me and Asuka decided to play this little game. We would act all flirty around one another, giving fake couple signals, to see who would actually buy it. And it seems to be working~"

Ryo didn't say anything, but did sweatdrop a bit. But then, he remembered something.

"Asuka also told me something else.." he grinned. A grin that Shin knew all too well. It was the grin of a challenger. "I heard you wanted to have a shot at the title of 'Kaiser'"

"That I did~" the teen grinned challengingly. "Unless you're too scared to take me on~"

"Heh. I take all challengers." Ryo declared, taking on his 'Kaiser' persona. "Everyone else so far has been no challenge at all. But who knows, maybe you'll be the one to change it" he smirked.

"I guess there's only one way to find out, huh?" Shin challenged, staring intently at Ryo. Something the Kaiser reciprocated.

"Indeed" he said, accepting Shin's challenge at his title. The two stared down for a while, before Ryo broke the staring contest, a smile on his face. "You should talk to Chronos on Monday. He's the one in charge of organizing the duels"

"Hmm, you're right. He did organize my duel against that Kenji after all.." Shin mumbled. He then took out his PDA, and checked the clock. "22:30 PM huh? Looks like I should get moving." he said, putting his PDA back in his pocket, and turning to leave.

"Hold on" Ryo called, stopping Shin in his tracks "Take out your PDA real quick." he said, taking out his own PDA. Raising a curious eyebrow, Shin did as instructed and took out his PDA.

Nodding, Ryo typed a few times on his own device, before placing it in front of Shin's. Shin's PDA then received a message, saying a new contact was added.

"I'm guessing you registered your number in there right?" Shin guessed, having seen Asuka do something similar.

"That's right" Ryo nodded his head, putting his PDA back. "That way I can contact you if something comes up, and vice versa."

"Hmm, that's true" Shin pocketed his PDA, before turning back to leave. "Seeya Ryo~" he waved a final time, before disappearing down the stairs.

Ryo went over to the window, watching Shin exit the lighthouse, and head over to the Slifer Red dorm. Nodding, he decided to wait out a bit longer in the lighthouse, enjoying the calming sound of the waves. However, after a few minutes, he suddenly heard voices, coming from the dock.

Curious, he went over to one of the windows, and peered down. He raised an eyebrow, upon noticing Chronos, speaking to a tall, shady individual, as mist covered the dock. Narrowing his eyes, he secretly slid one of the windows open, took out his PDA, and hit record, smelling something fishy.

A while later, Shin, Judai, Sho and Hayato had finally set to venture to the Abandoned Dorm.

"Man, the forest sure changes at night, huh?" Judai remarked, making his way through the foliage, Sho and Hayato close behind, while Shin stayed a little further away, making sure nothing got the jump on them. "I still can't believe you actually agreed to come with us Hayato. You think even showing up to class is a hassle" Judai noted, using his flashlight to watch where he was going.

"It's not that I don't like staying home or studying, it's just that I don't like classes that only teach you how to win" the boy-koala answered, tracking behind Judai. Sho looked at Hayato confused.

"There are other ways to study dueling, besides winning?" he asked. Hayato remained quiet for a moment, before answering.

"Well..I'm sure there are! Like the Games of Darkness." he mumbled, getting Shin's attention.

"The Games of Darkness, huh..?" Judai mumbled uninterested. Shin decided to just keep quiet for now, not wanting to scare Sho and Hayato, with how scary the Games of Darkness could be.

A little while later, the four had finally made it into the clearing where the Abandoned Dorm was. As they stepped closer, Judai flashed his flashlight on the rose Asuka had place the night before.

"That flower..." he mumbled. Sho, who was next to him, got cold feet.

"Big Bro, this place is scary! Maybe we should just give up!" he exclaimed scared.

"What're you talking about Sho? How can we give up after coming so far?" Judai asked, not wanting to go back now that they were already here.

It was then that they heard a branch snap, making Sho and Hayato jump up, clinging onto Shin for protection, the boy having a very unamused expression on his face. Judai quickly shone his flashlight in the general direction of the twig, revealing the person.

"Asuka-chan?" Shin asked, shaking the two scared Slifer's off his back, making them land on the ground with a thud.

"Asuka? Why are you here?" Judai asked confused, as the girl stepped out into the clearing.

"What am **I** doing here? I should be asking **you** guys that" she remarked, a stern expression on her face. She then turned to Shin "Shin-kun, why are you with them? You should've been the one to talk some sense into them!"

"Asuka-chan, once Judai made up his mind, there's no stopping him. Besides, I couldn't let him go alone. Sho and Hayato only put on the big boy pants after I agreed to go." he pointed at the Slifer's behind him.

"We're only doing a little night exploration" Judai continued, stepping closer to the gate. "I just wanted to see what this Abandoned Dorm was all about."

"Didn't Shin-kun tell you about the students that went missing here? This place is dangerous." she warned. However, Judai wasn't worried.

"Daitokuji told us last night. But I don't believe in superstitions~" Judai waved it off.

"They aren't superstitions" Asuka said seriously. "The stories are indeed true. This isn't a place you should come to half in sport. Not to mention, it's off limits. If the Ethics Committee catches us, we could be expelled!"

"About that" Shin remarked, making them turn to him. He then grabbed his PDA, and showed them the schedule of the Ethics Committee. "The Committee is currently on the other side of the island. Not to mention they don't actively search this place. So I say we're safe for quite a while~" he smiled, putting his PDA back in his pocket.

"Wait, where did you get the schedule of the Ethics Committee?" Asuka asked dumbfounded. Shin smirked and raised a finger over his lips, meaning he won't tell.

"See? Everything's just fine" Judai smiled, turning back to the Dorm. "Besides, we wouldn't be exploring if we were afraid of that" he waved Asuka's concern off.

"Would you, for once, listen to me? Seriously!" Asuka exclaimed, making Judai take a step back.

"What? Stop giving us such a hard time" Judai sweatdropped, before looking at Asuka seriously. "Besides, you never told us what **you** were doing here!"

Asuka didn't say anything, but turned around and began heading back.

"Do what you want" she said, before stopping for a moment. "My brother was one of the students that went missing." and with that, she disappeared in the forest.

The four stood there for a moment, before Judai was cracked over the head, courtesy of Shin.

"Did you take extra classes in being rude, or were you just born that way?" he asked blankly, looking down at Judai, who was rubbing his head.

"Why are **you** mad now?" he asked confused. Shin sighed heavily, before pointing at the rose in front of the gate.

"So that rose-"

"Was put by Asuka" Shin finished Judai's sentence. "Seriously, you should think a bit more before you talk. Now come on, we don't have all night. You can apologize to Asuka tomorrow." he said, jumping over the fence, and beginning to head over to the Abandoned Dorm.

"Hey, wait up!" Judai called, standing back up, and quickly following after Shin. Of course, Sho and Hayato didn't want to be left all alone, so they too hurried after Shin and Judai.

As the four were heading toward the Dorm, Asuka stood a ways off, watching them from behind a tree.

' _At least they'll be fine with you, Shin-kun'_ she thought, turning back to leave. However, as she did, a giant shadow appeared in front of her, making her gasp in surprise.

Inside the dorm, the students were using their flashlights to looks around.

"I might be all dusty, but it's certainly still an upgrade from the Slifer Dorm, huh?" Judai noted, looking around the upper floor.

"Still better to be in Ra, to be honest" Shin sweatdropped, looking at the crumbling walls, unsure whether the four were actually safe inside.

"Well, I'd move here. What about you guys?" Judai joked, looking back at Hayato and Sho.

"I wouldn't move here if you bribed me!" Sho exclaimed, scared of living inside this Dorm. Hayato nodded his own head in agreement.

Shin then shone his flashlight on something interesting.

"What the?" he mumbled, going over to one of the panels in the hallway. Intrigued, the other three followed behind, seeing what was on the panel.

"Are those…?" Hayato mumbled, recognizing some of the drawings, from Daitokuji's class.

"The Millennium Items" Shin stated, looking at the drawings of the items, his own medallion gaining a brief glow. He narrowed his eyes, looking at the drawings and explanation of each Millennium Item.

"D-Did they really play the Games of Darkness here?" Hayato asked, unsettled by the drawings.

"T-That's just a superstition!" Sho exclaimed, not wanting to believe.

"I'm afraid Hayato might be right" they heard Shin said, who was examining the writing on the walls. "From what's written here, they might have actually tried to play with the Games of Darkness.." he narrowed his eyes, beginning to feel an eerie feeling around.

"Huh, so there were seven Millennium Items..." Judai mumbled. He then shone his flashlight on another wall, revealing a framed picture of a young man with dark brown hair and eyes, hanging on the wall. "What's this?" he wondered, going over to the picture.

Intrigued, Shin followed suit, followed by Sho and Hayato.

"This must be Asuka's brother" Shin remarked, looking at the picture.

"How do you know, Shin-kun?" Sho asked, looking up at the teen. Said teen raised his hand, and pointed at the signature at the bottom of the picture.

"That's a play on words, using the English word 'ten'. As in, Ten-join" he explained, Sho's face lighting up in recognition.

"Like 'Asuka Tenjoin'!" he exclaimed, Shin nodding in agreement.

However at that moment, the four were alerted by a girl's scream, resounding through the building. Recognizing the voice, Shin opened his eyes wide, worry immediately plastered on his face.

"Asuka!"

 **Dun- Dun- Duuunn~**

 **Cliffhanger!**

 **Now, I know I said this chapter will have be action packed, but I still had some more 'bonding' ideas, and I didn't want to forget them. But, I'll confirm that the next chapter will definitely be full of action and duels. Poor Shin won't be able to take a break for a while~**

 **But, yeah. This chapter did have some...action of it's own~**

 **And yes, Shin does have the original print of the Dark Magician. It will be explained next chapter.**

 **And boom! Spirits can fall in love too! But, I'll be honest and say that the explanation may be pretty far fetched. I tried explaining what I had envisioned as best as I could, but when I do that it usually gets off track.**

 **But it will become clearer in the future.**

 **Now, I think this was all for now. If you have any questions, PM me and I'll try my best to respond as soon as possible. Also, a little shameless plugging~ Please check that poll I have on my profile. Every opinion counts~**

 **So, with everything out of the way for now, I hope you enjoyed, tell me what you thought of the chapter in the reviews, and until next chapter~**

 **P.S: Excuse minor grammatical errors. With my schedule, I usually finish these chapters at night, and I'm a tad too tired to see all the mistakes. I'll try to correct whatever mistakes I find tomorrow tho.**

 **Okay, that was really all. Bye~**


	9. Chapter 8

**Blackshadow340:** **thanks! Here's the duel, so I hope you enjoy~ And hey, everything's possible when talking about Spirits~**

 **Neo Infinity:** **Thank you~ I don't know if this chapter came faster then the last one, but check the authors note at the end, to get a general idea of when the next one is going to come out**

 **Black48:** **I like it when they interact as well, since it gives me a whole lot of opportunity to play around~ And the Festival will...definitely be something, I can tell you that~**

 **Kurotora:** **Glad you liked the chapter~ and yes, in this story, Spirits can get horny...or in 'heat'~**

 **Atem95:** **Uh..I didn't quite understand what you tried to say about a harem, but I can tell you that DMG won't fuse with Shin, and both her and Alexis are Shin's love interests, and eventual partners. It's a polygamous relationship, but it's too small to actually be considered a 'harem'. Love triangle, at most. Sorry if I understood it wrong, but your review was a little confusing**

 **shadic:** **Thanks~ Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy~**

 **Decoy Dragon:** **Updated~**

 **Ghost1986:** **Thank you~ I hope you enjoy this new chapter as well~**

 **So with those reviews out of the way, let's move on to the new chapter~**

Chapter 8: Dangers of the Shadow Games Pt. 3

"Asuka!" Shin exclaimed worriedly, as Asuka's scream resounded through the hallways. Immediately, he bolted down the hall, where the scream seemed to come from.

"Shin, wait for us!" Judai exclaimed, as the three ran after Shin.

As he was running, Shin noticed a flight of stairs at the end of the hallway, leading downstairs into a large room. He completely ignored the stairs, opting to just jump over the railing instead.

Landing on the wooden floor below, Shin used his flashlight to look around. Around him, he saw a bunch of objects, varying in size, covered with white sheets. However, something else caught his eye, a little further away.

As he went over, Judai and the other two appeared at the top of the stairs, panting a bit. Looking down, they noticed Shin picking something up. Quickly making their way downstairs, the three made their way to Shin, and glanced at the card Shin was holding.

"That card..." Judai mumbled, looking at the card.

"It's Etoile Cyber!" Sho exclaimed, having a better look at the card in Shin's hand.

"Asuka's card..." said boy's expression darkened, his eyes flaring red for a moment. Looking down, he noticed marks on the floor.

"It looks like something was dragged down that hallway" Hayato remarked, looking at the trail that led down a dark hallway to their left. Shin promptly stood up, and began running down the hallway, with the other three following suit.

After a while of running through a tunnel of sorts, the four boys ended up inside a large cave, with mysterious patterns littering the floor.

"Where the hell are we…?" Judai looked around the room, as Sho stuck close to him, shivering a bit.

"This place is even more scary than the Abandoned Dorm..." he mumbled scared.

While Judai, Sho and Hayato were looking around, Shin's eyes immediately caught sight of what they were looking.

"Asuka!" he exclaimed, alerting the other three, who shone their flashlight in the direction Shin was looking.

There, they saw Asuka inside a demonic looking coffin, unconscious. Of course, Shin immediately ran toward her, but was quickly stopped in his tracks as mist began surrounding him.

"Shin look out!" Judai called, as a tall figure appeared from the mist, making Shin jump back.

Looking closely, the boys saw a tall man, dressed in a black coat, wearing a mask and a black fedora. He also wore Duel coat, eerily similar to the one Chronos wore.

"I've already placed her soul in the darkness" the man said, making Shin's eye open a little wide. "I welcome you, Judai Yuki." Judai was surprised that the man knew him, however before he could say anything, Shin stepped forward.

"Who the hell are you, and what have you done to Asuka?!" he shouted angrily, as the man seemed surprised at the unknown appearance. However, he answered regardless.

"My name is Titan, the Dark Duelist" he announced, tipping his fedora a bit. "However, that is of no concern to you. My business is with Judai Yuki"

"Me?" Judai asked confused, before he quickly shook his head. "Nevermind that! Tell us what you've done to Asuka!" he demanded, as Titan released a dark laugh.

"Her soul is currently trapped inside the darkness. But fret not, for you will join her shortly" he said.

"Stop messing around and tell us what you did to her!" Shin exclaimed, beginning to get fed up with Titan.

"I'm not 'messing around'. As the Dark Duelist, I have control over the Games of Darkness" he said, making Shin even more angry, while Sho and Hayato actually seemed to believe him.

"Don't be stupid! The Games of Darkness aren't real!" Judai declared, being the only one among the boys that didn't believe in the Games.

"Trust me boy...you'll believe soon enough" Titan chuckled. "This is a forbidden realm that none may enter. And since you've broken that oath, I will be the one to deliver your punishments." as he finished speaking, the mist surrounding them began spreading even further.

"So you're the one who's responsible for the missing students…!" Judai surmised to himself, as Hayato began rummaging through his backpack. "Just give Asuka back to us!" he shouted, amusing Titan.

"I will...on the condition you beat me in this dark game, Judai Yuki" he smirked.

"Fine then, bring it on!" Judai declared, as Hayato handed him a Duel Disk. However, as he was about to activate it, Shin raised his hand to stop him.

"No..." Shin started, his hair shadowing his eyes "This guy is mine…!" he declared, taking his own Duel Disk out.

"I told you already. My business is with Judai Yuki. This has nothing to do with you boy" Titan said simply, making Shin grit his teeth a bit.

"Nothing to do with me…?" he asked in a low tone, something that Judai and Sho recognized. "No no...You made the mistake of kidnapping and endangering one of **my** close friends. Because of that, you won't be dealing with Judai...You will answer to **me**!" Shin declared, raising his head to show his scowling expression, his icy blue eyes flaring red again.

"Hm." Titan simply scoffed "So be it then. If you want to be fed to the darkness first, then I shall oblige you. But don't regret it boy!" he declared, activating his Duel Disk which looked like a bat wing.

Shin followed the example, and activated his own Duel Disk, preparing to insert his main deck in it. However, he remembered Dark Magician's words, and decided to place it back in it's holster, making his friends raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Shin-kun?" Sho asked confused, as Shin reached for his secondary deck.

' _Is that...'_ Judai thought, remembering a glimpse he caught during Shin's duel against Manjoume's goons. It was the holster Shin got his deck from.

"I'll make sure you pay for kidnapping Asuka" Shin declared, inserting his secondary deck into his Duel Disk.

"The only one who will pay, will be you boy, once you lose this duel. And the only price to be paid in a dark game, is one's soul!" Titan said, inserting his own deck into his Duel Coat.

"Enough talk!" Shin exclaimed, as the two readied their Duel Disk's.

"" **DUEL""**

 **Titan: 4000 LP**

 **Shin: 4000 LP**

"You three step aside and and keep eye on Asuka. This won't take long" Shin declared, as he and Titan drew their cards.

"I'll leave this one to you then" Judai nodded his head, before the three stepped away from the duel field.

"Be careful Shin-kun!" Sho warned, having an eerie feeling about the duel. And the abandoned dorm in general.

"Don't worry Sho. I got this" Shin nodded his head once, before turning to Titan. "You can have the first move."

"Then don't mind if I do. I draw!" Titan drew his card, before analyzing his six cards. "I'll start things off by summoning Infernalqueen Archfiend, in ATK mode!" he declared, placing the card in one of the slots on the duel blade.

And as he did that, a demonic creature wearing a red robe, with hooks for arms appeared, releasing a horrible roar.

 **Infernalqueen Archfiend -LV4- (900/1500)**

"A fiend deck…?" Shin mumbled to himself, remembering possible cards that Titan could have in his deck.

"With Infernalqueen on the field, I can raise the ATK of one 'Archfiend' monster on my field by 1000 points" Titan explained, as Sho and Hayato opened their eyes wide.

"But that means…!"

Infernalqueen Archfiend released another roar, before a red aura enveloped it, raising it's ATK.

 **Infernalqueen Archfiend 900 → 1900**

"Archfiend decks truly are wonderful" Titan said proudly, before Judai quipped from the sidelines.

"As wonderful as they are, Archfiend monster require LP to be paid, in order to keep them on the field. That's a big weakness" he grinned, thinking Titan was unaware of the fact. However, it was Shin that spoke up.

"There are ways to avoid that effect Judai" Shin explained, having memorized some cards belonging to the Archfiend archetype. "Nowadays, no deck has flaws that cannot be avoided in some ways."

"Your friend is right, Judai Yuki" Titan said, taking another card from his hand "I activate a Spell!" he slid the card into the Field Spell slot.

As the card activated, a bright light blinded the students for a moment. As they opened their eyes, they saw that the duel field had changed.

They were now inside a coliseum pit of sorts, surrounded by many skeletons, skull, as well as various bones. The duel field itself was now fenced by bony spikes, coming from the ground, while the middle was a fiery pit.

"W-What is this place?" Sho stuttered, clinging to his big bro. Judai himself was clueless, while Hayato was on the same boat.

"For now, you can call it the first circle of hell" Titan smirked.

"Also known as, the Field Spell card 'Pandemonium'." Shin quipped, breaking Titans attempt of intimidation. "As long as the card is in play, players don't have to pay LP to maintain 'Archfiends' on the field." he explained.

"Hm. You really are knowledgeable..." Titan mumbled "But yes, I am now exempt from paying LP to keep my Archfiend monster on the field. And in addition, everytime one of my Archfiend monsters is destroyed by means other than battle, I am allowed to add another 'Archfiend' with a lower level, from my deck to my hand."

"Are you done?" Shin asked blankly, making Titan frown under his mask.

"Yes. It's your turn boy."

 **Titan: 4000LP**

 **Shin: 4000LP**

 **(Infernalqueen Archfiend 1900 → 900)**

"Don't worry Asuka-chan. We'll be out of here by the time you come to.." Shin mumbled, glancing at Asuka's unconscious form. However, Titan noticed this too, and chuckled darkly.

"Oh? Is that girl distracting you?" snapping his fingers, the duel field started to shake "Then allow me to remove her for you." raising his hand, the coffin Asuka was in suddenly closed, before a bunch on bony spikes wrapped themselves around it, dragging it into the ground.

"Asuka!" Shin exclaimed, opening his eyes wide as the coffin disappeared from sight. "You bastard!" he shouted, scowling at Titan. His eyes flared red once again.

"That's cheating!" Hayato exclaimed, with Sho and Judai joining in.

"Coward!" Judai shouted, glaring at Titan.

"Yeah, leave Asuka-san out of this!" Sho exclaimed, making Titan look at them.

"Say whatever you wish, but this is how the Games of Darkness are played" Titan said simply. "Or do you wish to be removed as well?" he exclaimed, making Sho and Hayato take a step back.

"Your fight is with me!" Shin declared, as a gust of wind suddenly blew through the cave, taking Titan by surprise. "Everything will be fine you three." he assured his friends, focusing back on the duel.

"I draw!" drawing his card, Shin glanced at his current hand, forming a starting strategy. "First, I'll summon Luster Dragon, in ATK mode!" he announced, as the purple dragon materialized and roared.

 **Luster Dragon -LV4- (1900/1400)**

"I activate Infernalqueen's effect!" Titan announced, as Infernalqueen gained 1000 ATK once again.

"Huh?!" Sho exclaimed surprised. "Didn't he already do that during his own turn? How is it working during Shin-kun's?"

"Infernalqueen grants 1000 ATK until the End Phase. Because of it, the effect can be activated during **each** Standby Phase, including your friends." Titan explained, as his monster roared again.

"Don't think that matching their ATK will stop me" Shin scoffed, confusing Titan.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Luster Dragon attack Infernalqueen Archfiend!" he declared, as the dragon charged up a fireball in it's mouth.

Titan's monster retaliated by conjuring up a ball of dark fire, which it send toward Luster Dragon. The dragon did the same, resulting in the two monsters getting destroyed by each others attack.

"That was your plan to get rid of my monster? It seems you're a bit rash, boy" Titan casually remarked, with Shin paying it no mind.

"I now activate, Different Dimension Capsule!" he announced, inserting the card into the Duel Disk's magic card slot.

"Different Dimension Capsule?" Judai wondered, having never seen the card before.

"Different Dimension Capsule allows the user to ban a card from their deck for two turns, after which they add it to their hand" Hayato explained as simple as he could, making Judai nod his head in understanding.

"Two turns seems a little long though" he remarked, focusing back on the duel.

"Using Different Dimension Capsule, I ban one card from my deck for two turns" he stated, tapping once on the screen of his duel disk, before a card got ejected from his deck. "And on my second Standby Phase, I add this card to my hand." he slid the card in a special compartment on the opposite side of his deck.

"I set one card and end my turn" Shin said, inserting another card in the designated slot, which then appeared face down on his side of the field.

"Then it's my turn again. Draw!" Titan said, as his Duel Coat ejected another card in his hand. "You may have destroyed one of my monsters, but you left yourself open in the process. And that was a grave mistake! I summon, Shadowknight Archfiend!" he exclaimed, as the monster materialized on the field.

 **Shadowknight Archfiend -LV4- (2000/1600)**

"But I'm afraid it doesn't end here, for I activate the Spell card, Double Summon!" he announced, inserting the card in the slot.

"With this, I am allowed another Normal Summon. And I use it to summon, Terrorking Archfiend!" he declared, slamming the card of his duel blade.

 **Terrorking Archfiend -LV4- (2000/1500)**

"Now way! Both of those monster have 2000 ATK!" Sho exclaimed worriedly.

"And Shin doesn't have any monsters! He'll lose if he doesn't stop Titan!" Hayato added, both of them worried for Shin.

"Stop worrying guys. Shin's definitely got this!" Judai turned to the two, attempting to calm them down. Then, he turned back to Shin "Hang in there Shin!"

"You certainly have supportive friends" Titan remarked. "Too bad it won't help. Terrorking Archfiend, attack him directly!" he declared, as Terrorking raised it's sword high.

"Not happening!" Shin exclaimed, pressing a button under his Duel Disk's screen.

Right after the button was pressed, a horrible roar echoed through the cave, causing everyone bar Shin to cover their ears. It also made Terrorking stop dead in it's tracks.

"What the hell was that?!" Titan exclaimed, after the roar stopped. He then noticed Terrorking wasn't moving. "Terrorking, I told you to attack!"

"I'm afraid your Battle Phase is over." Titan turned back to Shin surprised. It was then that his set card raised up. "I activated my face down card, Threatening Roar. It prevents your monster from attacking, and ends your Battle Phase right after" he explained, making Titan grit his teeth a bit.

"I thought it seemed a little too easy. I set one card and end my turn!" he declared, his face down card appearing in front of him.

 **Titan: 4000 LP**

 **Shin: 4000 LP**

"Then it's my turn again. I draw!"

 **Different Dimension Capsule x1**

Adding the card to his hand, Shin grinned. However, it wasn't his usual grin. This one had a hint a maliciousness in it.

"Time to start paying up" he looked back at Titan, who unknowingly took a tiny step back. "I summon Red Eyes B. Chick!" he announced, placing the card on the energy blade.

In front of Shin, an egg appeared, making everyone else raise an eyebrow. And soon, the egg cracked, the top part raising to reveal a tiny baby dragon with red eyes and black scales. It roared cutely, before releasing a tiny flame.

 **Red Eyes B. Chick -LV1- (800/500)**

Seeing the monster, Shin's friends sweatdropped, while Titan openly laughed.

"Ahaha, that's how you're going to make me pay? Laughable!" he declared, as the baby dragon roared angrily, for being laughed at. However the roar was still nothing more than a squeak.

"You won't be laughing for long" Shin's grin grew, as he took out another card from his hand, before the egg became surrounded by flames, taking everyone by surprise.

"I activate Red Eyes B. Chick's special effect! By sacrificing it" he started, as the baby dragon became consumed by flames, which then turned into a pillar of red flames. "I can now Special Summon it's mature counterpart! Rise up, Red Eyes Black Dragon!" he declared, slamming the card on the energy blade.

The pillar intensified, before two red eyes appeared in the flames. And a second later, the pillar dissolved, as the giant black scaled dragon emerged, and roared strongly.

 **Red Eyes B. Dragon -LV7- (2400/2000)**

"Time to feel the pain" Shin smirked, as Red Eyes began charging up a fireball in it's mouth. "Red Eyes, attack Shadowknight Archfiend! Inferno Fire Blast!" he commanded, as the dragon reared it's head back, before launching the fireball straight at Titan's monster, shattering it into pixels.

 **Titan: 4000 – 3600 LP**

After Red Eyes's attack, Shin expected something to happen to Titan, due to him losing LP. However, he was surprised when the smoke cleared, and Titan didn't seem to have any sort of injury whatsoever.

"You certainly have a strong monster boy, but I can assure you it won't be there for long" he declared calmly, making Shin's eyes open a little wider.

' _What the hell...he looks completely fine!'_ Shin frowned _'He said this is going to be a Game of Darkness?'_ glancing at his Millennium Item, Shin noticed no glow, or anything to indicate his Medallion was resonating with anything. He then looked back at Titan, eyes narrowed. _'I smell a bunch of bullshit…!'_

"I end my turn!" he declared, as Red Eyes stationed itself behind him.

"Not before I activate this! Call of the Haunted!" Titan declared, as smoke began rising from the spot Shadowknight was previously. "With this, I'm allowed to resurrect one of my fallen monsters. And I choose Infernalqueen Archfiend!"

From the smoke, Infernalqueen materialized with a roar, making Sho and Hayato worry again.

 **Infernalqueen Archfiend -LV4- (900/1500)**

"Oh no, it's the thing that can raise Titan's monsters ATK!" the short boy exclaimed, drawing a line between Titan's two monsters.

"Yeah, and with it he can raise Terrorking's ATK to 3000! Red Eyes is screwed" Hayato voiced Sho's thought out loud. Judai simply watched on, keeping his faith in Shin's abilities.

"Hm! Now it's my turn again. I draw!" Titan stated, drawing his card strongly.

 **Titan: 3600 LP**

 **Shin: 4000 LP**

"First, I activate Infernalqueen's effect!". He stated, as a purple miasma began enveloping Terrorking. "With it, I raise Terrorking's ATK by 1000 points!"

 **Terrorking Archfiend 2000 → 3000**

"Now, I summon Vilepawn Archfiend, in ATK mode!" he declared, as the fiend monster rose up on his side of the field, next to Infernalqueen. "It's time to learn why the dark games shouldn't be taken lightly! Terrorking Archfiend, attack Red Eyes! **Internal Organ Explosion!** "

Terrorking opened it's torso, where a bunch of giant insect flew out from, heading straight for Red Eyes. It didn't take long until Red Eyes was completely swarmed by the bugs, exploding into pixels soon after. And as it did, the insect attacked Shin, making him stumble backwards a bit.

 **Shin: 4000 – 3400 LP**

"Now, Infernalqueen and Vilepawn! Attack that boy directly!" hearing Titans command, the two monster lunged at Shin, slashing with the claw and sword respectively, sending him on his back.

 **Shin: 3400 – 1300 LP**

"Shin-kun!" Sho shouted worriedly, seeing Shin lose so many LP in a single turn.

"Hang in there Shin!" Judai tried to encourage his downed friend, who was currently picking himself up.

"Guh…!" Shin grit his teeth, as he stood back up. Looking back at Titan, he saw him reach into his coat.

"Feel the effects of the dark games..." Titans voice began to echo in Shin's mind, as he pulled out a yellow, pyramid shaped object, raising it in front of Shin. The boy's eyes opening in recognition of the familiar item.

"The Millennium Puzzle…?!" he mumbled, before the object emitted a bright light.

"Disappear. Let your body gradually disappear, as your life points decline..." he spoke calmly, before the glow disappeared.

"Shin-kun, your body!" Shin heard Sho exclaim. Opening his eyes, Shin looked down at himself, only to see that most of his torso and legs were gone.

"What…!" he exclaimed, as Titan laughed.

"I told you boy...We're playing a Game of Darkness. In this duel, you'll pay with your own being, not your LP" he chuckled darkly. However, they soon heard another chuckle, coming from Shin. "Have the dark games driven you mad already boy?" he asked, raising an eyebrow under his mask.

"Heheheh..." Shin chuckled, as his hair covered his eyes. "I certainly haven't gone mad yet. What's funny, is that you think this little trick of yours actually works on me. It's laughable~" Shin grinned, looking back at Titan. The man himself took a step back, taken completely by surprise.

"Trick? I assure you, all of this is real" he said calmly, trying to keep up the act. "The dark mist envelops you. The dark mist envelops all of you" he stated, as the shadowy mist began surrounding all those present. "That's right, isn't it hard to breathe?" he asked, as Sho, Hayato and Judai grasped their necks.

"I-It's suddenly really hard to breathe..!" Judai exclaimed, as his friends dropped to one knee. However, Shin remained completely fine, shocking Titan.

"Really intriguing mist you got there~" he smirked, making Titan grit his teeth in frustration.

"Why aren't you struggling to breathe? The dark games affect all!" he exclaimed, but Shin just waved him off.

"All those who actually listen to those commands you give" he shrugged, making a bead of sweat roll on Titan's cheek. Hearing this, Judai and his fellow Slifer opened their eyes a little wider, unconsciously beginning to breathe easier.

"Grr..I-I end my turn!" he declared, stuttering a bit.

 **Titan: 3600 LP**

 **Shin: 3400 LP**

"Then it's my turn again. Time to break this charade of yours!" he declared, making Titan gulp. "I draw!" following his draw, the gust of wind returned, immediately dissipating the black mist surrounding them, shocking Titan.

 **Different Dimension Capsule x2**

"First, since this is my second Standby Phase, Different Dimension Capsule's effect activates!" he announced, as the card he banned two turns ago got ejected from the special slot. "Now, I activate the card I drew! Pot of Greed!" he announced, as the smirking jar appeared, producing two cards for Shin. "This is the beginning of the end! I play, Monster Reborn!" he declared, as the familiar pillar of fire lit up behind him.

"Be revived, Red Eyes B. Dragon!" he declared, as Jonouchi's Ace appeared behind Shin.

 **Red Eyes B. Dragon -LV7- (2400/2000)**

"However, this Red Eyes won't be here for long" true to the word, Red Eyes suddenly became enveloped in black flames.

" **Black dragon with eyes of red. Cover your scales in the darkness of death, and overwhelm your enemies with the strength of your fallen comrades! Arise! Level 9, Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"**

From the black flames, a different version of Red Eyes appeared. It had strange, plate-like wings, red lines outlining it's body, which was much sharper and had multiple prolonged spikes. Landing behind Shin, the dragon released a powerful roar, which shook the cave.

 **Red Eyes Darkness Dragon -LV9- (2400/2000)**

"Holy cow! Look at that monster!" Hayato exclaimed, looking in awe at Shin's new monster.

"Shin-kun really has some strong monsters.." Sho mumbled, while Judai just grinned, excited at the thought he would one day get to face that monster.

"Red Eyes Darkness Dragon's second effect activates!" Shin announced, as his Graveyard began emitting a black miasma, which was being absorbed by Red Eyes. "For every Dragon-type monster in my Graveyard, Red Eyes gains an additional 300 ATK" he explained, making Titan take a step back.

 **Red Eyes Darkness Dragon 2400 → 3000**

"I activate Infernal Queen's effect to raise Terrorking's ATK by 1000 points!" Titan declared, as Terrorking's ATK raised to 3000 again. "Now your monster can't destroy Terrorking!"

"I won't need to" he said simply, making Titan gulp again. "Since all of my summons so far were Special Summons, I get to Normal Summon another monster." taking another card from his hand. "I summon, Masked Dragon in ATK mode!" he declared, as the dragon materialized next to Red Eyes.

 **Masked Dragon -LV4- (1400/1000)**

"Time to battle! Masked Dragon, attack Vilepawn Archfiend!" he commanded, as the dragon launched a fireball toward Titan's monster, destroying it.

 **Titan: 3600 → 3400 LP**

"Now, time for the real deal! Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack Infernalqueen!"

The dragon obeyed without question, and reared it's head back, igniting a massive fireball, before launching it toward Infernalqueen. Since Titan's monster was leagues under Red Eyes, it stood no chance and was destroyed immediately.

"Gah-!" the blast was so strong, it actually continued after destroying Infernalqueen. And it hit Titan square in the chest, sending him flying backwards.

 **Titan: 3400 → 1300 LP**

While Shin grinned, his friends were left mouth agape.

' _Just like on the first day...'_ Judai thought, remembering how Manjoume's goons were also sent flying, using the same deck. And as he remembered it, he came to a conclusion _'Shin is not to be trifled with when he's using Red Eyes'_

' _Shin-kun is scary again!'_ Sho whined in his mind, remembering how Shin got when he was angry during their first night on the island.

"Guhh.." Titan groaned, standing back up. "W-What the hell was that..?" he said shakily, looking back at Shin.

"What's wrong? Don't like the **real** feel of the dark games?" Shin grinned, as his eyes flared red, along with his medallion beginning to glow.

"The real feel…?" Titan asked, his voice cracking "Don't be ridiculous! I'm the only one who can control the dark games! I'm the owner of this Millennium-!" he tried to present his pendant again, before it was struck by a card, cracking the object right in the middle.

"Millennium Item?" Shin asked amused, having been the one who embedded the card in Titan's fake Puzzle. "The real Millennium Puzzle would be made of solid gold. Not something a mere card can shatter. Like your little mist for example" he gestured around them, where the mist that was covering the field previously disappeared. His missing body parts also appeared once again.

"Huh? Shin-kun's body is back!" Sho remarked, with Hayato perking up.

"It easy to breathe again too!"

"Kuh-!" Titan grit his teeth in frustration, while Shin kept grinning. Sho's expression then turned confused.

"But, how did Shin-kun make everything return to normal?" he asked his Big Bro, who grinned.

"I think I have an idea. It was all an illusion wasn't it Shin?" he called out to his friend, who faced them with his usual childish smile.

"Yup! This guys was probably a hypnotist before, so he had all of hypnotized with his pendant, to make this 'dark game' appear real!" he declared, before looking back Titan.

"Now that your little 'dark game' is over, let's end the actual duel as well" he took one card, and inserted it into his duel disk. "I set one card and end my turn."

 **Titan: 1300 LP**

 **Shin: 1300 LP**

"Grr...I was prepared to face Judai Yuki...I wasn't told anything about this kid!" Titan grumbled to himself, stepping back. "Since my tricks aren't working, continuing this duel would be pointless!" he announced, before throwing the pendant down, where it created a small explosion that covered the field in smoke.

"A smoke bomb?" Shin opened his eyes wide in surprise "Don't think you can run away punk!" he shouted, running trough the smoke to catch Titan, who was walking away. However, as Shin was running, the serpent heads that were in the cave began to light up.

 ***GLOW***

Suddenly, a giant eye lit up on the duel field, stopping Shin dead in his tracks.

"What?!" he exclaimed. Almost immediately, his Millennium Item began glowing brightly, making him open his eyes wide. "This is-!" looking back at Titan, both duelist were taken by surprise, as the ground began to shake.

"Shin, get away from there!" Judai exclaimed worried, preparing to run over to his friend, Sho and Hayato in tow.

" **DON'T**!" Shin shouted, effectively stopping the three. "Stay there! This isn't just a game anymore!" he shouted, as black smoke began whirling around the two duelists, the arena shaking heavily. Soon the duel field was completely covered by the smoke.

"Shin!" he shouted, after seeing Shin disappear within the smoke. He prepared to run inside after Shin, before the smoke began releasing lighting, which almost hit him.

"Big Bro look out!" Sho called, as Judai was forced to jump back, in order to avoid the lighting. Looking forward, the three saw a giant purple ball, in the middle of the field, lightning bolts keeping anyone from trying to enter.

"What is that?" Judai mumbled, standing back up.

"That must be it! The Games of Darkness!" Hayato exclaimed, taking a step back.

"Games of Darkness…?" Judai asked, looking back at the purple ball, beginning to genuinely wonder whether the Games were actually real or not.

Inside the sphere, Titan was looking around confused.

"W-What's going on?" he asked. He then noticed a golden glow next to him. Looking over, Titan noticed Shin a little further away, a worried expression on his face.

"This is the **real** Darkness.." he said, looking over at Titan "This has become a **real** dark game..!" he admitted.

"R-Real Game of Darkness? It can't be! Those were merely stories!" Titan exclaimed. Before Shin could speak however, the two heard noises coming from above them.

Looking up, they saw dozens of little slime balls falling down around them. And they soon began swarming Titan, who was unable to do anything.

"W-what the hell is this?! S-Someone, please help me!" he cried out, getting completely overwhelmed by the creatures.

Shin took a step forward, but his advance was quickly halted, as the tiny creatures began forming around him as well. Stepping back, he was quickly made aware of the fact that there he was completely surrounded, no escape route whatsoever,

Before any of the creatures could attack Shin however, a roar resounded from his deck, before Red Eyes appeared next to it's master, followed by Horus the Black Flame Dragon and Kuriboh, who began warding off the creatures.

"So they're scared of Duel Monsters huh?" Shin mumbled, before hearing noises coming from behind him. Looking back, he saw Titan getting swarmed by the slimes, before they started entering his body, rendering him standing motionless.

"O-Oi! Are you alright?" Shin called, hoping the worst didn't happen. Unfortunately, things don't go nice in the darkness.

"Shintarou Akami" Titan spoke in an eerie voice, his eyes turning red, making Shin take a step back, eyes widening at the mention of his full name. "You have finally fallen into my realm...It's time you pay up for what you did, monster" he said, taking a step toward Shin.

 ***SHINE***

However, Titan stopped in his tracks, as Shin's Medallion glowed brightly, before a sudden pressure weighed heavily on his shoulders. Raising his head, Shin revealed his gleaming red eyes, signaling that his dark self took over.

"The only 'monster' here is you...And you will stay here as repentance for what you did!" he stated, as Titan took a step back.

"Humpf! The Game of Darkness has already been initiated. No one will be able to leave or enter until this duel is over. We'll let the shadows be the judge here.." Titan got his duel disk ready again, as the field appeared once again.

"Then so be it" Yami Shin declared, as his own monsters returned on the field.

 **Titan: 1300 LP**

 **Shin: 1300 LP**

"It is now my turn. I draw" Titan declared, drawing his next card. "I activate the Spell, Pot of Greed" he drew his two cards, before inserting another card in the Magic slot. "And next I play Allure of Darkness, to draw two new cards, at the cost of one monster in my hand." he discarded one card, before drawing two new cards from his deck.

"Now, I sacrifice Terrorking Archfiend, to summon Skull Archfiend of Lightning!" he declared, as Terrorking shattered into pixels, before becoming a ball, which then opened up into a very similar version of the Summoned Skull.

 **Skull Archfiend of Lightning -LV6- (2500/1200)**

"Next, I activate the Spell, Axe of Despair, to give my monster an additional 1000 ATK points" he stated, as a demonic looking axe appeared in the monsters hand, raising it's ATK.

 **Skull Archfiend of Lightning 2500 → 3500**

"I'm afraid this is the end for you, Shintarou Akami. Skull Archfiend of Lightning, attack his Masked Dragon, and throw his soul into the darkness as well!" Titan commanded, as his monster covered it's axe with lightning, before throwing it toward Masked Dragon.

"Not so fast!" he declared, revealing his face down. "I active the Trap, Shift! Now your attack target shifts to Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!" he exclaimed, as the axe suddenly switched trajectories, and embedded itself into Red Eyes's chest, bursting it into pixels.

However, as this was a real Game of Darkness, Yami Shin was suddenly electrocuted, as his LP dropped.

 **Shin: 1300 – 800 LP**

"Guh..!" he gritted his teeth, dropping on one knee. Fortunately, he was strong enough to brush it off mere moments later.

"That concludes my turn" Titan stated, as Shin stood back up.

"Then I draw!" he drew his card, followed by the gust of wind. Looking at his card, Yami Shin came up with the winning strategy.

"First, I activate Card of Sanctity! Now we both draw card until we're holding six cards, so start drawing" he announced, as both drew five extra cards. "Time to end this! I activate, Lightning Vortex!" he announced, as lightning began raining down. However, it stopped before it reached Skull Archfiend.

"Since Skull Archfiend of Lightning is my only monster, your Spell only targets it. And now, my monsters effect activates!" he announced, as six balls suddenly appeared from the fiery pit in the middle of the duel field. "If I roll a 1, 3 or a six, your Spell is negated and destroyed. Now, roll the dice!"

The Nr. 1 ball lit up in flames, before the flame started moving in a circular motion from one ball to the other. It kept going for a few moments, before slowly beginning to come to a halt.

 **5**

 **3**

 **2**

 **(6)**

"It looks like the odds don't fancy you either. Since I rolled a six, your spell card is negated and destroyed!" he shouted, as Lightning Vortex caught fire, bursting into pixels.

"Humpf. It makes little difference. This game is decided either way. I activate, Future Fusion!" he declared, as the card raised up. "I send a second Red Eyes Black Dragon, and Summoned Skull from my deck to my Graveyard. And now, I chain the Spell card, Dragon's Mirror!"

In front of Shin, a giant mirror appeared. Looking in it, Titan noticed a giant black figure with red eyes.

"By banishing Red Eyes and Summoned Skull from my Graveyard, I can bring out an Archfiend of my own!" he declared, as the mirror lit up.

" **Black dragon with eyes of red. Venture into the darkness of the underworld, and return with new power! Show the demons who their true king is! Appear before me! Level 9, Black Skull Dragon!"**

The mirror glowed brightly, before shattering as darkness emerged from it. Inside that darkness, a pair of gleaming red eyes opened, before a large dragon my armor made of black bones, and red eyes, emerged. Landing behind it's master, it released a powerful roar.

 **B. Skull Dragon -LV9- (3000/2500)**

"And now, I activate Megamorph!" he declared, as B. Skull Dragon grew twice in size, releasing an ear deafening roar.

 **B. Skull Dragon 3000 → 6000**

Titan quickly looked at his hand, however there was nothing to help him. And Yami Shin noticed it too. "My luck doesn't affect my odds, but it certainly affects your draws" he smirked, making Titan take a step back.

"Time to end this! Black Skull Dragon, attack Skull Archfiend and end this duel!" Yami Shin ordered, as B. Skull Dragon reared it's head back and charged an enormous black fireball. **"Hellfire Blast!"**

The dragon shot the fireball toward Skull Archfiend, quickly annihilating the monster, and sending Titan flying backward, once again.

 **Titan: 1300 – 0 LP**

 **WINNER: Shin!**

As the holograms disappeared, Titan was left in a steaming heap. Groaning, be raised his body.

"C-Curse you…!" 'Titan' coughed, as the spirit possessing him began loosing control. Yami Shin narrowed his eyes.

"You already did...nine years ago, when you murdered her in cold blood, because of your own delusions!" he spat, glaring at 'Titan' "You're the reason I'm like this...and you will continue to suffer because of it…!" he declared coldly, as Titan's body began steaming some more, the spirit loosing most of it's control.

"I-If only she wasn't t-there to try and stop me...If o-only you hadn't been born...a c-cursed child..!" 'Titan' spat, before the spirit possessing him lost all control, and vanished back into the darkness.

"I didn't choose to be born like with this...And she had no fault in it either..." for a second, his eyes switched back to full heterochromia, before a single tear rolled down his cheek.

However, his eyes immediately flared back to crimson red, as Titan began coughing again. Quickly wiping his tear away, Yami Shin assumed his stone cold expression, and watched as Titan stood back up, and looked around confused.

"W-What happened…?" he asked, before noticing Shin, staring blankly at him.

"You lost a Game of Darkness" he answered monotonously. "And now you will pay the price" he stated coldly, as the slime monster began swarming Titan again.

"N-No! This can't be! You're telling me the Games of Darkness are actually real?!" he exclaimed, being brought down by the creatures. "Please boy! Save me! Please don't let them take me!" he desperately called out to Yami Shin, who simply turned back, and began walking away, the slime monsters clearing a path for him.

"You played around with powers beyond your control. You angered the spirits lingering in this dorm, and now you will pay the price" Yami Shin explained, making all hope leave Titan's being. "You reap what you sow" he spat coldly, as his medallion glowed brightly, the purple sphere surrounding them beginning to dissipate.

"No, please! I beg of you! Help me-aargh!" he called one last time for help, though it was cut off as the tiny creatures completely covered him, letting the darkness devour him.

On the outside, Judai and the other two noticed the lightning beginning to recede, as well as the actual sphere itself. And calmly making his way towards them was Shin, completely unharmed.

"Shin!" Judai called, hurrying to check on his friend. "Are you alright? You gave us quite the scare there!" he laughed, as Yami Shin's expression softened a bit, to not give himself out.

"Well, as you can see I'm just fine. Don't know about that guy though" he stated, looking back at the purple sphere.

However, the sphere suddenly began releasing more lightning bolts, before shrinking in size, a sudden vacuum beginning to pull the boys in.

"Get down!" Yami Shin exclaimed, as the three took a step back and dropped to the ground. He was about to follow the example, before he heard something fall on the ground. Looking over, he saw the coffin Asuka was in, being pulled into the sphere.

His eyes immediately turned back to icy blue, as Shin regained sense of his surroundings. Looking over, he quickly hurried toward Asuka, and kept the coffin in place, so they wouldn't lose her to the shadows.

Fortunately, the black hole didn't last for more than a few moments, before it collapsed on itself, disappearing altogether. Standing back up, Judai clapped his hands.

"Wow, that guy certainly has some nice special effects!" he cheered, looking at the confetti that was released with the disappearance of the sphere. Shin, was left sweatdropping at the clueless Judai, ultimately shaking his head, deciding it to be better if they thought it was all just a big illusion.

"Say, am I the only who heard roaring coming from inside that sphere after Shin and Shady Guy disappeared in it?" Hayato asked, making the three glance at him.

"Now that I think about, I think I heard something like that as well.." Judai mumbled, before remembering something else "Hey Shin, where **is** that shady guy?"

"I don't know" Shin admitted, looking where the sphere was "But what I do know, is that he's gone."

"Well, that duel was just a big illusion right from the beginning" Sho said, before yawning. "I'm tired...we should go back Big Bro"

"You're right, we should definitely hit the sack" Judai agreed, yawning as well. But then he opened his eyes wide. "Wait, is Asuka okay?" he exclaimed, looking in the coffin.

Following suit, the boys looked down at Asuka, peacefully asleep in the coffin, unharmed in any way, shape or form. Sighing in relief, Shin turned to Judai.

"We can't leave her here" turning around, he crouched, and pointed at his back. Getting the message, Judai and Hayato managed to get Asuka out of the coffin, and placed her on Shin's back, where he adjusted her position, so he was giving her a piggyback ride. All the while Sho looked on, jealous because Shin got to feel Asuka's...assets, on his back.

"Alright, let's head back before we tempt fate and run into the Ethics Committee" Shin said, as the four, Asuka being carried by Shin, made their way out of the dorm.

After the four left, Chronos appeared in the Abandoned Dorm, looking around with a flashlight.

"That dropout boy should be beaten black and blue by now" he grinned, entering a large room. "Nothing in here. That means he must have lost!" he cheered, before noticing something on the ground. Picking it up, he began reading it out lout.

"Receipt for Chronos de Medici… Hmm, I haven't paid him yet. I'll have to keep this, just in case." and with that, he began making his way back.

Walking through the forest, Shin and his friends noticed the sun beginning to rise.

"Oh shoot! We have to return before the others wake up!" Judai exclaimed, snapping his fellow Slifer to attention. He then turned to Shin. "Can you take Asuka back all on your own?" he asked, not wanting to leave his friend all alone. Shin simply chuckled.

"I'll be just fine, don't worry. The Yellow dorm is just across from the Girls Dorm, so I would've had to carry her there one way or another" he smiled, before gesturing for them to go ahead. "You guys hurry up and get to your dorm now. You don't want to raise suspicion as to where you were all night right?"

"Well you're right" Judai mumbled, nodding his head. "But what about you? Won't people question you about it?"

"I know Seto Kaiba" he smirked, effectively shutting down any doubt. Sweatdropping, Judai laughed awkwardly, before pulling something from his pocket.

"Look, I picked this up on our way out" he said, showing Shin the picture of Fubuki Tenjoin, Asuka's brother. "I felt kinda bad after she told us he went missing, so I hoped this would at least cheer her up a bit." Shin let go of one of Asuka's legs, and grabbed the picture, before placing it in his own pocket.

"That's really considerate. Maybe there is some hope left for you" he chuckled, adjusting Asuka's position again. Judai shrugged his shoulders a bit.

"Well, we gotta get going, so if you're really sure you don't need help.." he raised an eyebrow, making Shin nod his head, signaling he was fine "Then we'll see you later. C'mon guys!" he said, before running ahead, followed by Sho and Hayato, who wasn't that keen on running.

Shaking his head in amusement, Shin kept walking at his own pace, enjoying the fresh air, not really minding the 'Asuka backpack' that he had.

After walking for a bit, Shin managed to exit the forest safely, locating himself around the yellow dorm, which was pretty convenient. As he was walking, he felt Asuka begin to stir awake.

"Mmhh..." she mumbled something, before burying her face into the crook of Shin's neck, making him chuckle a bit. He felt her breath on his neck, before feeling her tighten her hold on him, as if he was her prized possession.

' _Well, at least she's comfy'_ he thought, a smile forming on his face.

As he kept walking, he ended up on the cliffside, where he and Asuka watched the sunrise yesterday. With rays of sun hitting her face, Asuka began opening her eyes.

"Nngh...Where am I?" she mumbled raising her head to look around. And as she did, she came face to face with Shin, a blush lighting up on her face, due to the close proximity.

"Sleep well?" the boy grinned, making Asuka tilt her head.

"Sleep…?" she wondered, before it came back to her, making her eyes open wide "The guy from before-!"

"-Is gone" Shin calmly cut her off "The guy who kidnapped you is gone, Asuka-chan. I made sure of that" he explained, his smile still present. "But more importantly, did he do anything to you?" he asked seriously, slightly surprising Asuka at the seriousness in his voice.

"No, I don't think so" she shook her head, making Shin raise an eyebrow.

"You think so?"

"Well, the last thing I remember is waking up in that coffin, before he used his weird pendant on me, and then blank." nodding his head, Shin released a relieved breath.

"So he focused on his entrance… That's good"

"What even happened after I blacked out?" Asuka wondered, as Shin looked back in front of him, seeing their dorms in the distance.

"Well, first of all, that guy placed you in that creepy looking coffin, so that's one thing" Shin explained "Then, once we busted in there, he made this 'grand' entrance, trying to make himself look 'mystical' or something" feeling Asuka nod her head, he continued "Then he challenged Judai to a 'Game of Darkness, which was just a hoax."

"Game of Darkness?" Asuka tilted her head in confusion.

"The thing Daitokuji often rambles about. You know, Ancient Egypt, real monsters, loser loses his soul. That kinda thing" Shin explained, Asuka nodding her head in understanding.

"And it was all fake?" Shin nodded his head. "And what happened then?"

"I exposed the guy, he tried to leave, some other things went down, we finished the duel and then he made a really impressive exit" he said, omitting the fact that an actual Game of Darkness occurred.

"That's it?" Asuka asked, receiving a nod from Shin.

"Yup. After the guy split, we decided to do the same before the Ethics Committee found us" Shin said, as the two neared the dorms.

"And where are the other three?" she asked, looking around.

"They had to hurry back, so they wouldn't raise suspicion as to where they were all night." Shin explained, before looking at Asuka with a grin. "Say, how do you like the piggyback ride?"

"Huh?" Asuka wondered, before realizing where she was. She also promptly blushed, due to the amount of involuntary...touching that was happening. And Shin realized it too, as he felt Asuka subconsciously try to close her legs, which only resulted in her squeezing his waist.

"Ah! Asuka-chan stop, that tickles!" Shin exclaimed, feeling Asuka's legs press against his sides, where he was quite ticklish.

"Shin-kun put me down! This is embarrassing!" she exclaimed, pushing Shin's upper body down, in an attempt to make his release her. The boy chuckling all the while, since she was still pressing her legs against his side.

"Ahah, I-I will, just st-ahah-p tickling me, ahahah~!" he laughed, trying to stop Asuka from squirming, thus stopping her from tickling him. However, that backfired a bit, as he ended up pressing her lower body closer to his own.

"Put me down already..-kya!" she exclaimed, before stumbling out of Shin's grasp, landing on the ground. However, her heel ended up landing on a rock, which slid from under it, taking Asuka's foot with it.

 ***crack***

And thus, the two teens heard a cracking sound come from Asuka's ankle.

"Fate sure is weird huh…?" Shin chuckled awkwardly, giving Asuka a piggyback ride once again.

The two were now heading toward the nurses office, as Asuka's impatience landed her with a twisted ankle. The girl herself having a not-so-amused expression on her face.

"This is all your fault, Shin-kun..." she mumbled, pouting cutely.

"Eh? How is this my fault?" he exclaimed, looking back at Asuka. The girl herself simply tightened her hold around him.

"...It just is" she buried her face deeper into the crook of his neck, making the boy sweatdrop, before shaking his head.

' _Stop trying to understand women Shin...it's impossible'_ he chuckled in his own mind, as the two neared Emi's office.

Reaching the door, Shin glanced at Asuka, who raise her hand and knocked twice. And sure enough, the busty nurse opened the door.

"Ah, Asuka-san and Shin-kun! A good morning to you" Emi greeted, her friendly smile present on her face. She then noticed how Shin was carrying Asuka, and tilted her head to the side. "Did something happen?"

""High heels"" Shin and Asuka answered at the same time, making them turn to look at each other, only to look away right after, both blushing.

While still confused, Emi glanced down at Asuka's feet, noting how her left one seemed a little red and swollen. Taking a wild guess, she looked back at the teens.

"Did Asuka-san twist her ankle?" seeing both of them node their heads, she released a short breath, before motioning for them to come in.

Stepping inside, Emi closed the door behind the two, and pointed at one of the beds. Conveniently, the same one Shin was on two days ago.

"Shin-kun, could you please put Asuka-san on that bed over there? I'll go and get some bandages while you do that" she said, heading over to the cabinet in the corner.

"Right away" Shin walked over, turned around and lowered Asuka on the bed. He then sat himself on one of the chairs that were around, as Emi came back with a compression bandage and some medical tape.

"Alright, let's get done" she said, taking Asuka's left boot off.

First, she located the painful spot, which was just above her ankle. Then, she wrapped the compression around her ankle, and asked Asuka to hold it for a moment, while she got the medical tape ready. Once she was done, Emi secured the compression with the tape, and stood back up.

"Alright, I think that should be about it" she concluded, going over to the fridge, and getting a little ice pack out, which she then gave to Asuka.

"The sprain doesn't seem all that serious. Grade 1, so some tenderness and swelling. Give it two days, and you should be just fine" Emi said, writing something in her notepad, before pointing at the ice pack. "That's not necessary, but if you feel the need to use it, keep it on your ankle for around 15 minutes every 2-3 hours. Take the day off and let your ankle rest. If you can't comfortably put weight on that ankle by Monday, be sure to drop by so I can look at it again, alright?"

"Understood. Thank you for the help" Asuka bowed her head, making Emi giggle a bit, while shaking her hand,

"No reason to thank me, Asuka-san. I'm more than happy to help~" she smiled, before glancing at Shin, who was patiently waiting on the stool in the corner. "Shin-kun, if you don't mind, could you please bring Asuka-san back to her room?"

"Sure, it's no problem." Shin stood up, and went over to the bed.

After Asuka got on, still embarrassed, she thanked Emi once again, before the pair left the nurses office, heading toward the Girls Dorm.

Having left the academy building, the two were currently walking around the lake, with neither teen saying anything. And that silence, somehow made a little blush appear on their faces, due to...proximity. Sighing, Asuka broke the silence.

"Thanks for helping me Shin-kun" she mumbled, keeping her head on his shoulder.

"Uh, no problem Asuka-chan. That's what friends are for right?" he grinned.

"Yeah...friends" she mumbled, her blush darkening a bit. The two then descended back into silence. "I just remembered" Shin raised his head, breaking the silence.

"Remember what?" Asuka inquired, as Shin looked back at her.

"While we were on our way out of the Abandoned Dorm, Judai picked up something you might want. If you can, reach into my back pocket and grab the picture" he instructed.

Leaning back, Asuka reached her hand down, searching for the back pocket in Shin's jeans. Fortunately, she found it with no trouble, so no random feel was copped. And then she reached into said pocket and grabbed for the apparent picture.

"Ah!" Shin shrieked, feeling a hand grab his butt cheek. "I told you to grab the picture, not my ass!" he exclaimed, looking back at Asuka.

"I-I'm sorry!" she squeaked, quickly reaching into the other pocket, and taking the picture out. "You didn't tell me which pocket it was in!" she exclaimed, her face beet red.

"Fair point, but if you didn't feel the picture in the first pocket, why did you still grab" he exclaimed, a dark blush present on his face as well. Asuka didn't say anything, instead she buried her red face in the crook of Shin's neck, too embarrassed to look at him.

Sighing, Shin got rid of his blush, nudging Asuka a bit, causing her to look up.

"Does that picture seem familiar?" he asked, gesturing toward the picture in Asuka's hand.

The girl remembered the picture frame in her hand, and brought it close to her face. And upon inspecting it, her eyes widened in surprise.

"My brother!" she exclaimed, making Shin gain a little grin.

"Thought so. We saw that picture hung on the wall inside the Abandoned Dorm when we entered. Judai felt bad after you told him about your missing brother, so he grabbed that when we left, and told me to give it to you. Hope you're not mad at him anymore."

"No, I'm not mad" Asuka said, a little smile on her face. "So that Dorm really **does** have some sort of connection to Fubuki..." she mumbled, staring at the picture.

"Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't..." Shin mumbled, getting Asuka's attention. "Maybe there's more to that Dorm, than meets the eye. But that means that it's too dangerous to go on our own anymore" he said, thinking back on the actual Game of Darkness that was initiated during his duel with Titan.

"Are you suggesting we should stop?" Asuka asked, looking back at Shin, who shook his head.

"No. From now on, I want you to let me know whenever you go to the Abandoned Dorm, so I can come with you" he said, making Asuka raise an eyebrow.

"I'm not a little child. I can take care of myself just fine-"

"This is not about whether you can take care of yourself or not!" Shin exclaimed, taking Asuka by surprise, who closed her mouth immediately. "It doesn't matter how skilled you are. A single mistake is all it takes, for things to go south" he explained seriously, as his left eye turned red for a second, before reverting back to icy blue. "You are someone I care about, Asuka-chan. And I don't want what happened last night to happen again"

Hearing Shin say she was someone he cared about, made Asuka's heart skip a beat. Even she didn't know why. It just did.

Leaning her face back on his shoulder, Asuka nodded her head, a little blush on her face.

"Fine" she mumbled, unknowingly tightening her hold on Shin. "I'll send you a message whenever I want to go investigating, that sound good?" Shin nodded his head, satisfied.

After that, it only took a couple more minutes, before the two reached the mansion in which the Obelisk girls resided. Going over to the door, Shin crouched down a bit, as Asuka opened the door.

Stepping inside, the first things Shin saw, was a bunch of Obelisk Girls, hanging around in the hallway. And their eyes opened wide, upon seeing Shin give Asuka a piggyback ride.

However, before any of **those** girls could rush the poor boy, two girls that Asuka knew, appeared before Shin.

"What do you think you're doing with Asuka-san?" Junko asked, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. While sweatdropping, Shin heard Asuka sigh.

"I, uhh...I'm helping Asuka-chan?" Shin answered, a little awkwardly, before Momoe suddenly leaned right in his face. The action made Shin instinctively lean back, making Asuka yelp a bit in surprise.

"And what kind of 'helping', involves you holding Asuka-san as if you plan on stealing her from us!" she exclaimed, making Shin take a step back, his sweatdrop becoming bigger.

"The kind of help one would need for a sprained ankle, Momoe" Asuka sighed, raising her bandaged foot for her two friends to see. The two looked closely at the bandages, before taking a step back, scratching the back of their heads.

""Oh, right~"" the two giggled awkwardly, a sweatdrop appearing on their face.

"I swear, you two are so rash sometimes" Asuka shook her head a bit, before looking back. "Shin-kun is a good friend, and I don't want you two to pick on him like you do with most other boys" she said, making her friends nod. She then poked Shin's cheek, pleasantly surprised at how soft it was. "Let's get going Shin-kun" she said, releasing a yawn.

"Still tired after last night, eh?" Shin chuckled, as the two passed Junko and Momoe, who almost immediately got blushes on their faces.

"Of course I'm tired. That was too much action for a girl like me" she replied, making Momoe and Junko's blushes darken.

"Well, that was quite a lot of action for me as well, since I did all the heavy lifting~" he chuckled, making Junko and Momoe turn beet red. Shin and Asuka were only talking about the incident with Titan, however Asuka's friends understood something completely different.

"Yes, yes, men do the heavy lifting" Asuka giggled "Maybe next time you should let me take the lead~"

"Maybe~"

As the two teens disappeared up the stairs, Junko and Momoe were left staring at each other in silence, faces red as tomatoes.

"A-Asuka-san did..." Momoe began

"..a-and she did it w-with Shin..." Junko finished, as the two girls kept staring at each other.

Curiously enough, they were the only girls left in the hallway. All of the other girls must've cleared out, when seeing that Shin was only carrying Asuka because she sprained her ankle.

"No!" Junko exclaimed, shaking her head to get rid of the blush. "Asuka-san couldn't have done... **that** , with someone like Shin! We need to make sure he's worthy before something like that can happen!" she declared, as Momoe tilted her head to the side.

"Do we even know for sure they're together?" she wondered, snapping Junko out of her phase momentarily.

"W-Well...no" she admitted "But do you know what that means?" she looked at her friend, whose face lit up in recognition.

""We're going to have to start following them in the future!"" they both stated, nodding their heads.

Walking through the hallway on the third floor, Shin was nearing Asuka's room, making idle chat with the girl on his back.

"Those are the friends you told me about?" he asked, as Asuka sighed a bit.

"Junko and Momoe. They were the first to jump to conclusions, when the girls started talking about the two of us on the beach, so I don't really know why acted like that just now" Asuka said, as Shin reached her room.

Since the trip was over, Shin placed Asuka back on the ground, letting her hold onto him for support until she got her balance. Taking out her key, she unlocked the door to her room, before turning back to Shin.

"I hope they didn't scare you, Shin-kun. They're good girls most of the time, but they act before they think sometimes" she apologized awkwardly, as Shin chuckled.

"Don't worry, I've seen weirder~" he subconsciously thought back on a young, blonde haired girl he knew, that used to fawn over Yugi, annoying another one of his female friends in the process.

"Well, thank you again, for helping me get here, Shin-kun" Asuka gave a little smile, getting another one of Shin's own in return.

"Always glad to help, Asuka-chan!" he grinned his usual childish grin "And I trust the ride back here wasn't as 'embarrassing' anymore?" he asked, making Asuka blush.

"W-Well, I didn't really have a choice this time..." she mumbled "B-But that was just because I wasn't used to people carrying me like that! T-Things could have happened..."

"Things? What kind of things?" Shin inquired amused, knowing full well what she was talking about. The girls blush darkened.

"W-Well...i-it could've...t-t-touch..." she stuttered, unable to go any further than that. And it only took another moment, before she suddenly exploded. "Why do I even need to tell you this?! Shin-baka!"

 ***SLAM***

Staring at the closed door, Shin sweatdropped.

' _Thank God she didn't take out the fan...'_ he sighed relieved, taking a step back.

Deciding to leave Asuka alone for now, Shin swiftly made his way out of the Girls Dorm, before anything else happen. Stepping outside, he took a deep breath.

' _A whole lot happened today...tonight...yesterday?'_ he wondered confused, before shaking his head. _'Nevermind, things happened. Let's leave it at that'_

And with that thought, he began on his way toward his own dorm. And after last nights events, he was glad to be able to kick back and relax for a while.

Blissfully unaware, of the fact that things were starting to move. And that the breather he wished for wouldn't really come for a while yet…

 **And that's a wrap~**

 **Phew. Kicking things right off with some action!**

 **To be honest, Shin actually facing Titan, was decided via coin toss. I had originally planned to keep the original duel between Titan and Judai, with Shin only joining in when it became a real Shadow Game. But, the coin wanted Shin to be the one to take this duel~**

 **So, this was the last part of 'The Dangers of The Games of Darkness' mini arc-thingy. But, the action doesn't stop here.**

 **Shin still has two more Duels in front of him. One of which will be...quite important, for him and two of his friends (wink wink). This duel will be all original, so I hope you guys will enjoy it~**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this original duel as well, for that matter~**

 **And some other things happened in this chapter. Some things relating to Shin's backstory~**

 **But, all in all, the majority of this chapter was Shin vs Titan. The next two chapters will be pretty much the same, in that regard. They will focus mostly on Shin's duel. However, with that in mind, I have a little question.**

 **You all know what happens next. Judai and Sho have to face Para and Dox. The question is:**

 **-Should I write out that duel, or should I fill that gap with some more backstory related things?**

 **Leave your answer in the reviews, or the final choice will be left to Mr. Coin again.**

 **But yeah, I think that was about it for this chapter. Action, and some comedic relief. Same will go for the next two chapters, so I hope you look forward to that. And on that note~**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as always, tell me what you thought of it in the reviews, and I'll see you in the next chapter~**

 **Oh yeah, quick P.S!**

 **I think I have a schedule for my stories now. And it goes like this.**

 **This story, should definitely be updated every two weeks or so. If two weeks passed, and no update, then I either have had no time to work on it, or I simply could get it done in time, cuz' writers block or whatever. So, either that, or I'm dead.**

 **My other stories may be updated every week, depending on my writing mood/ schedule/ creativity and support.**

 **Example:**

 **-Black Feathers Chap 4 is in the making since before Halloween, but I couldn't get it done, and then lost interest. That interest suddenly returned to me last week, and so it's almost done.**

 **-Remnant Reaper, is pretty much in the same boat, except that no one is really showing interest in it, so I don't really have all that much motivation to work on it right now.**

 **-The pokemon story, has plenty of material for me to work with, and I can always get in the mood to write for it, so that may very well be the one that will be updated next.**

 **Not really related to this story, but I just wanted to throw it out there, so you guys can get an idea of what to expect, and when.**

 **But yeah, that was really it for now. Bye~**


	10. Chapter 9

**Coffee Targaryen:** **Glad you like it~ Here's something to help you with that~!**

 **Black48:** **Thank you~ If you like Shin's Dragon Deck, then I hope you like his second deck as well, which is shown this chapter~**

 **Decoy Dragon:** **Thank you very much~ I'm glad you liked that little scene~ There's another one this chapter, so I hope you like this one as well**

 **Kurotara:** **Glad you like them~ It means I'm getting better at writing them~ As for those two, I'm not quite sure myself...Guess we just have to send Shin and Asuka on a date, huh~? (wink, wink)**

 **GHOST1986:** **Glad you enjoyed the chapter~ But saying this is a masterpiece...Oh you, you're making me blush~ Thanks, I hope you have a great time during the holidays as well~**

 **Atem95:** **Glad you liked the chapter~ I kept that suggestion in mind~**

 **Dark Lord:** **Glad you like it~ I asked myself the same question before, but I decided to just leave things be. If people have something to say, then they are welcome to say it, if the don't have anything to say, then that's fine too. I thought of adding Starving Venom to Shin's deck, since DMG and Dark Magician are perfect fusion materials for it. I already have a way to bring the Dimension Dragons into this story, but I won't do it unless you guys want it~ And I'm sorry I updated another story instead of this one last week, but I figured since this story is the most popular, I thought it would be a nice little 'present' for all of you on New Year's~**

 **Guest:** **I don't know about the reading part, what with all the grammatical mistakes I tend to oversee, but still, a big thank you for saying that~ That's a very interesting suggestion...I honestly hadn't thought of it, so thank you~! Happy Holidays, and another thank you~!**

 **Neo Infinity:** **Mistake corrected~ Thanks for pointing it out~! Thank you for your suggestion~**

 **And with those reviews out of the way, onto the chapter~**

Chapter 9: The Punishment Duel pt. 1

"I'm tired..." Shin mumbled, as he reached the Yellow Dorm.

Stepping inside, he trudged toward his own room, ignoring most students along the way. However, as he turned a corner, he bumped into none other than Misawa.

"Shin?" he asked confused. Recognizing the voice, Shin waved lazily while rubbing his eyes.

"Mornin' Misawa-chan...Sleep well?" he finished his sentence with a yawn, making Misawa raise an eyebrow.

"You seem tired Shin. Everything alright? Where were you anyway?" Misawa asked, while Shin stretched his back and arms, since he carried Asuka for quite a while.

"Oh I was just doing things~" the boy chuckled, scratching his cheek. "As for where I was, we'll turns out Asuka-chan doesn't like being carried around, and she ended up twisting her ankle. She blamed me, so I took her to Emi-san and back to her dorm afterward~"

Misawa looked at Shin blankly. The dual haired boy gaining a little sweatdrop due to this. Ultimately, Misawa sighed.

"I'm not even sure if I want to ask you why you were carrying Asuka-san in the first place" he stated, shaking his head a bit.

"That would be the best decision~" Shin replied, his childish grin appearing on his face.

Seeing said grin, Misawa knew he wasn't getting anything else out of Shin. Thus, he simply patted him on the shoulder.

"Well, I'm going to the Card Shop to see if there's any new pack worth buying. Later, Shin." with a final wave, Misawa left Shin alone in the hallway.

Releasing a breath, Shin began walking down the hallway again, soon reaching his own room. Unlocking the door, he stepped inside and threw his jacket on the chair near the bed. Speaking of, the boy almost immediately threw himself on the bed, sinking in it soon after.

"Aaahhhh~" Shin sighed in content. He then grabbed his blanket, covered himself, and snuggled further in the bed, turning on his side.

" **Comfy, Shi-chan?"** a feminine voice asked from behind Shin.

"Really comfy~" Shin sang, a content smile on his face.

.

.

.

"Wait a minute" he suddenly deadpanned, opening his eyes. Swiftly turning around, he came face to face with partner, looking at him with a cat-like smile. "When'd you come to?" he asked confused.

" **A little while ago. Master already told me what happened..."** she mumbled, her face turning sheepish, as a blush adorned her cheeks.

"So he did huh..." the boy replied, as the two descended into silence, neither looking each other in the eyes.

" **Look Shi-chan. I'm sorry for...coming onto you like that"** Dark Magician Girl said, breaking the silence. She then raised her body, looking away. **"I don't know what came over me...If you're mad, then I understand...I'll just-"**

"Stop that."

Shin's firm voice cut her sentence short, taking her by surprise. She closed her mouth, but still kept looking away. She then heard Shin's release a breath, before he raised his own body.

"Mana, please look at me." she heard Shin say, much more softly. Hesitantly, she turned around, only to feel a soft hand wrap around her frame, before being pulled into Shin's chest.

"I could never be mad at you" he said, keeping Dark Magician Girl close to him. "You and I have been together for so long, we're practically family. You don't get mad at someone who has been with you through thick and thin" he explained calmly. His partner stayed silent for a minute, before he felt her bury her head into the crook of his neck.

" **Yeah...Family"** she mumbled, sounding a bit sad. **"But that kind of love is different...than what I feel. You realized that too...right?"** her tone seemed to dip even further, making Shin frown a bit.

"Yeah...I know" he admitted, as his partner's expression fell.

" **I figured..."** she then laughed a bit. **"A Spirit falling in love with a human...her own master at that. Pretty weird huh…?"** although she laughed, it was a hollow laugh. Shin sighed a bit, before answering.

"It is a little weird, yes..." hearing his answer, Dark Magician Girl gained a sad, but understanding face. "But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing" Shin added strongly, his partner's eyes opening in surprise.

"If there's one thing I know...It's that love affects everyone who has a heart. And your heart is the one who decides who you fall in love with. That's what makes you human" he told his partner, who simply listened to his words. "If that's how you really feel, then who am I to judge? In fact, I'm happy."

" **Y-You are?"** his partner asked confused. Shin nodded his head strongly, softly stroking her long blonder hair.

"I am. Because to me, it means that there's at least someone out there, who can truly accept this broken me." he smiled sincerely, peering into his partner's green eyes. Looking at his smile, Dark Magician Girl couldn't help the little smile appearing on her own face.

" **Well, you don't turn your back on family, right~?"** she mumbled, as her smile grew a little.

"Exactly. Which is why I won't turn my back on you either" he then gently cupped her face, and brought it closer to his, until their foreheads touched.

"You fall in love with the most unexpected person, at the most unexpected time. I won't fault you for something you have no control over. I can't guarantee that I'll end up reciprocating the feeling...but I can promise that you'll always have a special place in my heart, as broken as it is."

At Shin's heartfelt words, Dark Magician Girl felt tears of happiness well up in her eyes. Even though it wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, the simple fact that Shin cared so much for her, was more than enough to satisfy her.

" **You know...With killer words like that, I'll only end up falling for you even more~"** Dark Magician Girl giggled, seemingly regaining her usual demeanor. Chuckling, Shin straightened his back, looking at his partner with a smile.

"I'm fine with that. It only shows you're that much more human" he said, making DMG giggle cutely.

The two then began gazing at each other in silence, content with each others presence. Speaking of.

" **That was truly beautiful, don't you think Eatos-sama?"** the two heard a younger female voice, coming from beside them, followed by Eatos' own voice.

" **Indeed it was Silent Magician. Leave it to Master to say such words."**

Shin and Dark Magician quickly whipped their heads to the side, seeing Silent Magician in her LV4 form and Eatos, looking at the pair with happy expressions.

"H-How long have you two been there?" Shin stuttered, blushing in embarrassment. The two spirits looked at each other, before lightly smirking.

" **But...we're like family! Such a love cannot happen~"** Eatos imitated Dark Magician Girl's voice in an exaggerated manner. She then turned away from Silent Magician, who grabbed her hand.

" **I don't care! Love is out of our control~"** the Loli magician said, imitating Shin. **"Forbidden love is what I live for!"** she dropped down on one knee, making 'Dark Magician Eatos' gain a blush. And she wasn't the only one.

"I-I never said such a thing!" Shin exclaimed, blushing beet red. He then jumped from the bed, heading for the acting duo, only for them to move out of the way, causing Shin to fall on the floor with a 'thud!'. The spirits began giggling at his embarrassment.

" **Let's go Shi-chan! Your alter ego is trying to pull us apart~!"** Eatos giggled, taking Silent Magician's hand, while Shin stood back up, rubbing his nose.

" **Yes let's go! Let us start our secret Duelist/Duel Spirit relationship and start working on some hybrid babies~!"** she exclaimed, making Dark Magician Girl sputter, before outright laughing while rolling around on the bed. Shin on the other hand began growling, his blush turning even darker.

"A-Alright, that's enough you two! Get back here!" and thus, he began chasing the two duel spirits around the room, Eatos and Silent Magician always evading every time Shin was about to catch them. Dark Magician Girl simply remained on the bed, laughing her butt off at her friends antics.

"Haahh..." Shin sighed, collapsing back on the bed.

After chasing the acting duo around for a few minutes, he realized it was pretty pointless, and gave up. Since it was their win, Eatos and Silent Magician decided to leave Shin alone for now, and returned to the Spirit World, followed by Dark Magician Girl, who wanted to let Shin have some peace and quiet.

"They were barely able to stand just yesterday...And now it's like they just got new batteries" the boy mumbled, throwing the covers back over his body.

' _Alright, enough of the crazy stuff. This week has been pretty loaded already...I just want to spend this weekend relaxing~'_

And so, Shin closed his eyes, sleep overtaking him soon after.

However, it didn't last, as Shin woke up to the sound of knocking coming from his door mere moments later.

"Nnghh...Who is it?" he mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes. Even though he didn't speak loud enough to be heard from the hallway, he received an answer nonetheless.

" _Shin it's me, open up!"_ came Judai's voice, knocking on the door again. Raising an eyebrow, Shin got out of bed, and trudged toward the door.

As soon as he opened the door, a hand wrapped around his shoulders, as he found himself getting dragged through the hallway.

"Let's go to the Card Shop!" Judai exclaimed, dragging Shin behind him.

"Why don't you take Sho or Hayato with you…?" the dual haired boy mumbled, almost falling back asleep.

"They both went straight to sleep" Judai pouted, before perking back up again. "Since you brought Asuka back, I figured you had to still be awake. And since I don't want to go to the shop all alone, you're stuck with me now~" he grinned, while Shin looked up at him with a blank look, bags beginning to form under his eyes.

"How in the world are you still so energetic while I'm over here about to drop…?" he mumbled, getting back on his own two feet, walking beside Judai.

"I dunno, I just don't feel sleepy yet" Judai shrugged, before a lightbulb seemed to light up above his head. "Oh wait, it's probably because I didn't get to battle that guy last night!" he exclaimed, before playfully glaring at Shin. Said boy rolling his eyes amused.

"Glare all you want, Judai. It was only natural that I kick his ass for kidnapping Asuka-chan" he shrugged, as the two entered the academy, walking the halls in search of the Card Shop.

"Speaking of, how is Asuka? Is she mad at me?" he asked sheepishly. Shin chuckled a bit, patting Judai on the shoulder.

"Nah, she's not mad. You're lucky she's really mellow, so you don't have to worry about her pulling the harisen on you~" Shin assured, as Judai gained a teasing grin.

"Like someone else that we know, right?" he grinned widely, making Shin sweatdrop.

"Yeah, yeah, I messed up. Just keep rubbing salt in the wound why dont'cha?" he mumbled, as the took a right, the Card Shop coming into view.

As they did, they just so happened to have passed Chronos, who was humming a merry tune, a large grin on his face. However, that changed, upon hearing Judai's voice.

' _What is this no ne?!'_ Chronos whipped his head around, his eyes opening wide at seeing Judai still present. He then quickly got around the corner, and watched as the two boys entered the card shop.

' _Why is that dropout boy still in the academy?!'_ he raged, biting into his handkerchief. He then took in a deep breath, releasing a long sigh. _'So Titan failed is that it…?'_ he then quickly sneaked around to the card shop, observing from the shadows as Shin gave Judai advice on how to improve his deck, suggesting the occasional Booster Pack.

' _That must be it! There's no way that dropout boy could beat Titan on his own...That must mean Signore Shin was there to help him!'_ he then punished his poor handkerchief again by biting into it. _'No, no, no! Signore Shin is getting more and more attached to the dropouts! At this rate, my plan is going to fall apart!'_

Chronos then sneaked back out of the card shop, walking down the hall with a contemplating expression on his face.

' _Looks like I will have to take more drastic measures no ne?'_ he thought, trying to think of a way to remove Judai from the picture.

"Hey Shin, come look at this" Judai called over from the Structure Decks section. Shin, who was casually chatting with Seiko, raised an eyebrow, before going over.

"What's up Judai?" he asked, as his friend pointed at one of the packs. Curiosity got a hold of Shin, upon noticing the picture of Red Eyes Darkness Dragon on the cover.

"Dragon's Roar?" Shin read the packs name out loud. Grabbing the pack, he began reading the list of cards displayed on the back. And as he did, he began frowning. "This...is my deck!" he exclaimed surprised.

"So it wasn't just me" Judai nodded, as Shin put the deck back on the shelf.

"Hey you two. You're in the way. Move" a male voice came from behind the two.

Turning back, they saw a young man with black hair tied, his fringe covering his right eye. He was wearing a slightly altered version of the Obelisk blue uniform, meaning he was probably a second or third year.

"Who are you?" Shin asked the boy, who didn't even seem to acknowledge him.

"None of your business. Now move aside. I'm trying to get some cards" he stated blankly, pushing Shin out of the way, before grabbing a Dragon's Roar deck and leaving.

"Geez and here I thought Judai could be rude" Shin mumbled, shaking his head. Judai seemed to be sharing the feeling.

"What's up with all these Obelisk Student acting all high and mighty like that? We're all duelist here aren't we?" the brown haired boy stated, sighing a bit. Shin nodded his head, about to respond, before the two heard a little hiccup, coming from Shin's deck.

Raising an eyebrow, Shin reached into his holster, and grabbed the culprit.

" **S-Shin-samaaa!"** Silent Magician sobbed, latching onto Shin's head, surprising both him and Judai.

"S-Silent Magician? What's wrong?" he asked, sweatdropping as the small spirits kept sobbing a little.

" **T-That boy...He's the one that threw me awaayy!"** she cried, making both Shin and Judai open their eyes in surprise.

"Wait, threw away?" Judai asked confused, as Shin and his Duel Spirit nodded their heads simultaneously.

"I found Silent Magician inside an old well in the forest. She was one of many duel spirits that were just thrown away in there" he stated, before glancing behind him, seeing the Obelisk leave the Card Shop, shoving some Slifers out of his way. "So he's the one who think it's okay to just throw away your deck whenever it suits you huh…?" he growled a bit, his eyes flashing red for a moment.

"Crappy mannerism, and crappy personality to boot? Now that's a scumbag if I've ever seen one" Judai stated, glancing back at Shin. "What do you want to do Shin?"

"Tch. I'm too tired to deal with punks like him now. But tomorrow, after a few hours of sleep...Now that's a different story" he declared, narrowing his eyes a bit.

" **S-Shin-sama?"** Silent Magician asked, a little concerned about Shin's serious expression. Hearing her voice, Shin's expression softened a bit.

"Don't worry Silent Magician. I'm not going to hurt him or anything~ I'm just going to show him just how strong you really are~" he smiled with confidence.

Silent Magician wanted to retort and deny it, before she remembered the battle against Jinzo, and how strong she became. Then, a small smile appeared on her face.

" **O-Okay! I'll do my best, Shin-sama!"** she declared strongly, making a proud smile appear on Shin's face.

"That's the spirit~" he said, giving her a thumbs up.

However, before anything else could happen, he suddenly grabbed her cheeks, and began pulling. Judai, who was watching everything unfold, opened his eyes wide at the sight of Shin grabbing a spirits cheeks.

"You thought I forgot about that little stunt you and Eatos pulled, didn't you~?" he grinned 'evilly', pulling on Silent Magician's cheeks.

" **I-I'm sowwy Shin-sama! I'm sowwey~!"** the spirit apologized with little tears in her eyes, as Shin just pulled on her cheeks harder.

All the while Judai watched on, confusion clear on his face.

A while later, Shin and Judai left the Card Shop. In the end, Judai decided to get some more Elemental HERO Fusions for his Deck, while Shin got some Booster Packs.

"So, what did you get in those Booster Packs Shin?" Judai asked curiously, as Shin looked through the cards he pulled out of the pack.

"Meh. Mediocre cards at best. Good for starting a new deck, but kind of useless for adding in either of my current two" he replied, stuffing the cards in his back pocket. He then pulled out a final Booster Pack, and opened it.

It didn't take long for Shin's eyes to open in surprise. Curious, Judai looked at the cards Shin's hand, noticing two sparkling cards. Looking closer, he was able to make out their names.

 **White Night Dragon (3000/2500) -LV8-**

 **Blizzard Princess (2800/2100) -LV8-**

"Huh. And here I thought the saying 'third time's the charm' was just something to help cheer kids up. Looks like I was wrong..." Shin mumbled, studying the two rare cards.

"Those cards any good?" Judai asked, Shin taking his two decks out of their holsters.

"They are. Dragon and Spellcaster, just like my decks. There aren't many High-Level monsters in my decks with good effects, so these two are definitely good additions" he noted, placing the cards in their respective decks.

Shin then released a big yawn, the bags under his eyes becoming more evident.

"Okay, I think I'm gonna let you get some sleep Shin" Judai stated, scratching the back of his head. "You look pretty damn tired~"

"That's cuz I am" Shin deadpanned, glancing at Judai.

After that, the two ended up in front of the school, where Judai gave his farewells, before going back to his dorm. Shin remained in front of the school for a while, checking some things on his PDA.

"You seem pretty tired Shin" a familiar voice came form behind Shin. Turning his head around, Shin noticed none other than Ryou walking toward him.

"Ah, Ryou. Nice to see ya~" Shin greeted, extending his fist. Ryou smiled a bit, before giving Shin a fist bump.

"You alright? Those bags under your eyes look pretty serious" Ryou noted, making Shin pull out a hand mirror of all things.

"Oh crap, you're right" Shin sweatdropped, glancing at his reflexion. "Well, I haven't had a chance to get some shut eye yet, so maybe that's why, ahaha~" he laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"And what kept up the entire night?" Ryou asked curiously. Shin looked around, making sure no one was present, before looking back at the senior Obelisk.

"Well, Asuka's probably still sleeping, so no wonder she didn't tell you..." Shin mumbled, drawing a curious look from Ryou. "Let's go for a walk" motioning for Ryou to follow, the two began walking away from the academy building.

The two kept walking for a while, until they reached the port. Shin sat down on the pier overlooking the horizon, while Ryou decided to remain standing.

"Okay, we're as far from other people as it gets" Ryou remarked, looking around. "So, what happened last night Shin? And how is Asuka involved?" he glanced down at Shin, who yawned a bit, before answering.

"We went to the Abandoned Dorm last night" he said, making Ryou raise an eyebrow. "Well, not me and Asuka. Me, Judai, your brother and another friend of theirs. We just happened to run into Asuka there."

"Wait a sec" Ryou interrupted, looking at Shin confused. "Sho went with you? The same scaredy Sho that I know went to the Abandoned Dorm?"

"Well, if it helps, he clung to me everytime we heard something in the woods" Shin shrugged, not really caring. Ryou wanted to say something, before shaking his head slightly.

"Nevermind, that's Sho alright. Continue" he said, motioning for Shin to continue explaining.

"But then this creep showed up, and kidnapped Asuka-chan." at that, Ryou's eyes widened. "He took her in some sort of cave under the Abandoned Dorm, and used her as a bargaining chip to duel Judai. He even tried to make us believe the duel would be a Game of Darkness~" Shin chuckled a bit, before continuing. "But I took care of him before anything could happen~ Though Asuka-chan did end up twisting her ankle on the way back, so she probably won't come out for the day."

Ryou remained silent for a bit, feeling a sense of Déjà Vu from Shin's story. And then, a flashback of last night appeared in his mind.

"Did this guy happen to have a black coat?" he asked, glancing down at Shin. Said boy quickly looked at Ryou, raising an eyebrow.

"Uhh...yeah?"

"And was there mist around him?" at that, Shin's eyes opened in surprise.

"Okay how do you know all of that?" he asked cautiously, as Ryou reached into his pocket, fishing out his PDA.

"I think you should see this" Ryou said, showing Shin the video he recorded last night at the lighthouse.

After the video finished, Shin's eyes narrowed.

"So it was Chronos all along..." he mumbled angrily, as Ryou put his PDA back. "He's really trying to get rid of Judai at all cost, huh? Well, too bad cuz I won't let that happen."

"You don't seem to fancy Prof. Chronos" Ryou stated, hearing the venom in Shin's voice.

"I was going to give him a chance, but after he tried to set Judai up as a pervert, I began doubting it. And now this, gives me all reasons to hate him" he stated, his eyes flashing red again.

"Asuka told me about that incident. So it was Chronos behind that as well?" earning a nod from Shin, Ryou's own eyes narrowed a bit. "Seems to me like Chronos has some sort of personal vendetta against Judai."

"It's been just over a week. The only thing Judai did was beat him in a duel-!" and then, the gears in his mind clicked. "That son of a...He's trying to expel Judai because he beat him in the entrance Duel! How low can you get?!" he exclaimed, truly hating Chronos right about now.

"Because of one duel…?" Ryou mumbled confused, shaking his head while frowning. "I was well aware of his ego before...but this is just ridiculous."

"Mind sending me that video? I think about time someone put Chronos on a leash before he can try anything else" he said, glancing at Ryou, who nodded his head and got his PDA out.

A few hours later, Shin found himself back in his dorm room, sitting at his desk. Leaning back in his chair, he looked at the video he managed to create with pride.

"With this, Chronos will think twice about trying to expel Judai ever again" he smirked, putting his PDA on his nightstand, before he sat himself on the bed. "What time is it anyway?" he wondered, releasing a yawn. Glancing at the clock, his eyes widened as it read 22:30 PM.

"That late already? What the heck did I do all day…?" he wondered, beginning to recount his day.

"So we came back from the Abandoned Dorm at around six in the morning. Then I had to take Asuka-chan to the nurse, so that's about one extra hour, so 7:00 AM. Another hour by the time we returned, so 8: something AM. 9 AM by the time I came back here, and another hour until Judai came around. We spent around two hours in the Card Shop, plus the walk to and from the school, soo...around 12:30. My talk with Ryo lasted around an hour and something minutes, so that's around 2 PM..." and then, he sweatdropped. "Crap. I spent eight hours walking around and chilling on the beach? What is time today…? Goes so fast..." he mumbled.

And then, he laid back into his bed, throwing the covers over himself.

"But at least now I can finally go to sleep~" he sighed in content, turning the light off, and drifting off to sleep.

.

.

.

Or that was the plan.

Yet again, Shin waited to fall asleep, to no avail. He opened his eyes, and glance at the clock, which read 00:00.

"Oh for fucks sake..." Shin grumbled, shoving his face in the pillow, trying to go back into the sweet world of dreams. Still nothing.

Violently throwing the covers off, Shin laid sprawled on the bed, sighing deeply. He remained motionless for a while, before he remembered the first day. Deciding that repeating the knock out method isn't advisable.

"Let's try something else..." he mumbled, grabbing his PDA off his nightstand. He then decided to pass the time by doing some Duel Puzzles, until he fell asleep.

Of course, he did that **after** being blinded by the PDA's bright screen.

"Duel Puzzle number one...Win this turn huh? Aight'"

And so, around thirty minutes passed.

.

.

Which turned into an hour.

.

.

.

...Which turned into three…

"Okay, let's see the next puzzle" Shin mumbled, checking the list of Duel Puzzles. Only to realize there weren't any left. "Wait I did all of them? How long did that take?" he glanced at the clock on his nightstand.

It was almost 6 AM.

Shin stared blankly at the clock for a moment, before rolling on his back, uttering one word.

"...Crap."

Sighing, Shin got out of bed, releasing a long yawn.

Deciding to go outside and get some fresh air, he threw on his Ra Yellow jacket, put on his shoes, and left the dorm.

Outside, Shin was surprised to see fog cover the island. Interested, he began walking along the cliffside, enjoying the cool breeze. As he walked, he ended up near the lighthouse again, where he could barely make out someone standing on the pier. Interested, he quickly jogged over to the docks, wanting to see who was up so early.

"Dawn still seems so far away, huh?" Ryou asked, as Asuka appeared on the pier, going over to his side.

"Yes. But I believe there's no night without dawn" the girl answered, looking at the waves crashing against the rocks.

"Those are some deep words, Asuka-chan~" the pair heard a familiar voice, as Shin appeared from the fog, his signature grin present on his face. "Sup?" he greeted, raising a peace sign.

"Shin-kun? What are you doing here?" Asuka asked confused, as Shin plopped back down on the pier.

"Couldn't sleep again. Spent all night doing Duel Puzzles and still nothing" he mumbled, yawning again. Raising an eyebrow, Ryou glanced at Shin.

"Did you get some sleep after we met?" he asked, and to his surprise, Shin shook his head.

"Nope! I took a walk around the cliff and chilled on the beach for eight hours~" he grinned, making both Asuka and Ryou look at him weirdly.

"And you're not tired at all?" the girl asked confused.

"Oh no, I'm tired as hell. I just can't fall asleep~" Shin grinned, making Asuka sweatdrop.

"I don't think that's supposed to happen Shin-kun" she said, seeing the obvious bags under Shin's eyes. "Are you sure you don't want Emi-san to give you some insomnia pills or something?"

"Nah, it's fine. This happened before~" Shin waved her concerns off.

"And what happened then?" Ryou wondered, a little curious at Shin's current predicament.

"I fainted~!" Shin exclaimed happily, making Ryou and Asuka do a double take, looking at him worriedly. "It's definitely gonna happen, and it'll happen at a random point in time today, so there's no reason to start worrying now~" he smiled, a bigger sweatdrop appearing on the other two's heads.

"...I highly doubt that's healthy Shin" Ryou remarked awkwardly, Asuka nodding her head in agreement. Shin simply shrugged.

"Meh. People all over the world suffer from constant insomnia. I'm lucky that this kind of thing happens on very few occasions~" he replied simply, standing back up, as the sun began appearing on the horizon.

Stretching his arms, he looked at his two companions.

"Well, I think I'm gonna head back to my dorm. Maybe I can catch some shut eye before I drop down~" he chuckled a bit, cracking his neck to relieve the tension. "You two going back as well?"

"I need to get back to my own dorm, so I think I'll join you Shin-kun" Asuka said, going over to Shin's side, before looking back at Ryou. "Ryou? Are you coming too?" she asked.

Ryou glanced out toward the horizon again, before releasing a breath and joining the other two. They then left the pier, walking along the cliffside as the fog began to lift.

After walking for a while, the three ended up a little further away from the Slifer Dorm, where they saw an interesting sight.

"Is that..." Shin began, his eyes opening in surprise.

"The Ethics Committee?!" Asuka exclaimed shocked, as she watched the Ethics Committee drag Judai and Sho out of their rooms, before throwing them inside a military vehicle. "They must've found out we were at the Abandoned Dorm!"

"How? I was sure they didn't check the Abandoned Dorm that ni-iaaghh...Crap" Shin deadpanned, taking out his PDA and checking the Committee's schedule. "Yup, they checked it last night..."

"Something must've been amiss inside then. That's the only thing that would tip them off" Ryou said, Asuka glancing back at Shin.

"What exactly happened during your duel with that guy?" Shin seemed to think for a little while, before a sudden look of realization crossed his face.

"Shit, there was an earthquake during our duel! That must've left the interior of the dorm even more wrecked than before" he surmised, before suddenly perking up, confusion on his face. "But wait, if **we** didn't notice it when we left, then how the heck did the Ethics Committee notice something amiss? For that matter, how did they even know they needed to question Judai and Sho?! Unless-!" his confusion disappeared instantly, as a look of anger crossed his face. "Chronos must've told them!"

"Wait, professor Chronos?" Asuka asked dumbfounded. "How could professor Chronos know that you were there?" Shin swiftly pulled out his PDA, and showed her the video recording Ryou got at the lighthouse.

"I did some research on the guy who kidnapped you. He was a duelist for hire, who could hypnotize the people he beat in a duel into believing they were in a coma" he explained, Asuka's eyes opening wide while watching the recording. "Chronos hired him to go after Judai! He was trying to get rid of Judai through a third party. But since I stepped in, his plan failed. And he must've realized that yesterday when he saw Judai and I while we were on our way to the Card Shop" he said, as the video recording finished.

"But how do you know for certain that it was Chronos that alerted the Committee?" Asuka asked, giving the professor the tiny benefit of the doubt. However, Shin was confident.

"He must've checked the Abandoned Dorm after we left" Shin declared strongly. "He knows going into the Abandoned Dorm grants expulsion, so he probably gave the committee an anonymous tip to search through the Dorm" and then, his eyes opened widely, as well as Asuka's.

""They're going to be expelled!"" they both exclaimed in unison.

"Craaap! What do we do?!" Shin panicked, looking at Asuka, who wasn't fairing any better.

"I-I don't know!" she then looked at Ryou, who was calmly standing by. "Ryou, do you have any idea? Sho-kun is your little brother. Are you just going to stand by?"

"Of course I don't want to just stand by. But if the Inquiry board decides to expel them, then they will get expelled. Even Principal Samejima can't change that" Ryou said, lightly shaking his head.

"Then what do we do…?" Asuka mumbled, looking at the ground.

"Even Samejima can't change the decision..." Shin wondered. However, his head suddenly shot up, as an idea formed in his head. "I got it!" he exclaimed, making Asuka and Ryou look at his surprised.

"You have a plan, Shin-kun?" the girl asked, as Shin nodded his head with a big grin on his face.

"If Samejima can't change the decision..." he then took out a slick object from his pocket, showing it to the two. "Then maybe we should call someone in a higher position~" he stated, unlocking his smartphone, before swiping the screen a few times, before finally placing the phone to his ear.

""Expelled?!"" Judai and Sho exclaimed in unison, looking at the many screens inside the room they were currently being held up in.

"Judai Yuki, along with three other accomplices, broke school regulation by trespassing and entering the special dormitory, which is closed-off and strictly off-limits, and wrecked havoc inside. The investigation has commenced!" the Chairwoman of the Ethics Committee said.

"We'll do anything you say, but please just give us a chance or something!" Judai asked, putting his hands together.

"Then I have a proposition!" Chronos spoke eagerly, bringing attention to him. "Since we're at Duel Academia, I suggest your penalty be a Punishment Tag Duel!"

"A...Punishment Tag Duel?" Judai wondered confused.

"Exactly! Judai Yuki and Sho Marufuji shall team up to duel no ne! Should you win the Tag Duel, you will be cleared of all charges. However, should you lose, you will be expelled immediately!" Chronos declared. Simply hearing 'duel' was all it took to make Judai interested.

"A Tag Duel, huh? Sounds like fun!" Judai grinned excitedly, making Sho turn to him panicking.

"No it doesn't Big Bro! It sounds bad!" Sho exclaimed, but was ignored.

"Even the culprit seems to be fine with the idea" Chronos remarked, glancing at Samejima's screen image. "What do you say Principal?"

"Well...If both party's agree, then I guess I have no choice-"

"That's where I have to step in" a new voice called, taking everyone by surprise. That surprise grew even further, as Samejima's screen split in two, a new face appearing next to his.

[K-Kaiba-san?!] the faculty exclaimed, as Seto Kaiba appeared on the screen, his poker face ever present.

"O-Oh boy...now we're definitely in trouble..!" Sho mumbled scared, clinging to his big brother figure.

"Sorry for the unannounced appearance" Seto said, glancing at the faculty images, before his eyes landed on the two students. "I just received the news on a short notice myself."

"If I'm not mistaken, these two boys were caught entering the Abandoned Dorm, right?" he asked, with the Chairwoman answering.

"We didn't catch them in the act, but we were given an anonymous tip, and found their fingerprints on the site" she explained, making Seto nod his head.

"And how exactly did this 'anonymous tipper' know they were there?" Seto asked, making Chronos open his eyes wide in panic, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.

The Chairwoman wanted to retort, only to find out she had no response. As the faculty fell silent, Judai and Sho felt some hope for their predicament.

"Hm. As I thought" Seto noted, nodding his head once. "So you can simply haul away two students, who haven't even been here for a week, but you don't even care to look into who exactly was so eager to rat them out." at his cold remark, the Chairwoman fell completely silent. "I highly doubt these two even knew the repercussions of trespassing there. To them, it's simply an old building inside a giant forest. Am I wrong you two?" he looked back at the two Slifers.

"U-Uh, yes! We didn't even know that was there! We simply stumbled across it while looking for our friend!" Sho said quickly, before Judai could accidentally say something he shouldn't. Though his answer was suspicious as hell, so the Chairwoman didn't buy it.

"Exactly" Seto declared, cutting the Chairwoman off, before she could say anything. "Which is why I see no reason to outright expel **these** two" he said, making everyone present raise an eyebrow at his statement.

"Not 'these' two? So someone still needs to be expelled?" the Chairwoman asked, voicing everyone's thoughts. To their surprise, Seto nodded his head.

"You two didn't think you got off just like that, did you?" Seto asked Judai and Sho, who simply looked confused. "The squirt was the one that filled me in on such a short notice. And he was the one that vouched for all of you, taking all the blame and repercussions unto himself" he said, making the Slifers' eyes widen in surprise.

"Shin did…?" Judai mumbled, before realizing what that meant "Wait, don't expel Shin in our stead! We'll take that Punishment Duel!" he declared, making Sho panic even further, while the faculty was now displaying confusion on their faces.

Seto simply assumed the Gendo Position, a barely visible smirk on his face.

"Well it looks like we've reached an impasse, haven't we?" the CEO wondered, glancing at the confused staff. He then straightened his back, before looking back at the students. "Then how about this? All three of you have to face the punishment. Shin will go first, and if he wins, then you two won't face expulsion anymore. Instead you will be given three times the amount homework for the rest of this month. If he looses, he will be expelled, and you your duel will proceed as planned, consequences and all." he stated, his blue eyes peering down at Judai and Sho.

"I agree!" Judai answered immediately, giving Sho no chance to voice his doubt.

"Hm! Then so be it" Seto stated, looking at the two with a satisfied grin. "You two will duel as a planned. Chronos shall choose your opponents, and you will duel as a Tag Team."

"And what about Shin? Will he get a partner too?" Judai asked, to which Seto shook his head.

"I'm afraid the squirt won't get it as easy" he said, making Judai raise an eyebrow. "He's got enough skill to take on two opponents at the same time, which is why he will duel two different opponents, one after the other." Seto then turned to Chronos, who seemed a little startled, due to Seto's constant stare. "You're the headmaster of Obelisk Blue, aren't you?" receiving a sharp nod, he continued. "You will choose Shin's first opponent. A strong senior Obelisk should do."

"U-Understood, mister Kaiba!" Chronos replied, even saluting in a military fashion.

"And who will choose Shin's second opponent?" Samejima asked curiously, glancing at Seto. Everyone else became curious as well.

"Me personally" he stated, surprising those present. "I have known Shin for years, so I know who would pose a real challenge for him. It wouldn't be a punishment otherwise" he explained calmly.

"Then it's decided" Samejima nodded. "And when will they duel?"

"These two will duel in two days. That should give them enough time to prepare to act as team" he said, glancing at the two students, particularly Sho.

"And Signore Shin?" Chronos wondered.

"The squirt will duel today" he declared, shocking everyone present. "He was ready to be expelled for these two, so he should be ready to duel as well. With this, I'd say this 'meeting' is adjourned. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get in touch with someone." and as soon as he finished his sentence, his image disappeared, Samejima's filling the screen once again.

"Um...Well, that happened" the Principal said, just as confused as the rest of the people present.

"Sometimes you have the worst timing Seto-chan..." Shin mumbled, sitting on the edge of the Duel Arena, waiting for Chronos to come back with his opponent.

After the punishments were decided, Judai and Sho were let go, the two immediately searching for Shin. Fortunately for them, he was just about to enter the academy along with Asuka.

They then explained everything, with Sho thanking Shin for the aid, and practically begging him not to loose. Shin then got a message from Samejima, telling him to head toward the Duel Arena and wait for Chronos.

"Are you alright Shin-kun?" Asuka asked a little worried, as her and the Slifer's stood behind Shin.

"I'm just fine" he reassured, before yawning tiredly. "Though now I'm a little worried about that fainting thing I told you about this morning..." he mumbled, scaring Sho a bit.

"Fainting? You can't faint Shin-kun! You're our only lifeline! If you loose, we'll definitely be expelled too!" he exclaimed, before being bopped on the head by Judai.

"Stop being such a downer Sho. I doubt that's what Shin needs right now" Judai said, glancing back at Shin. "Why did you even do that Shin?"

"Don't take it personally, but you two are better off staying at the Academy more than two weeks. I don't actually need to be here" he explained, making Asuka raise an eyebrow.

"Then why are you here, exactly?" she asked, Shin watching as more and more students began entering the Duel Arena, keen on watching the duel.

"A promise." was Shin's simple answer.

Before she could question it any further however, the door opened fully, revealing Chronos along with someone else. Someone Shin and Judai knew.

"Hey Shin, isn't that…?" Judai asked, as Shin stood back up, staring the Obelisk down.

"Yeah. It's the same guy from yesterday. What luck" he noted, his eyes narrowing a bit.

Chronos stepped on the stage, followed by Shin's opponent.

"Good luck" Asuka said, before her, Judai and Sho left the stage, going to watch from the stands.

Shin nodded his own head once, before stepping unto the field, going over to Chronos. As he reached the middle of the field, him and the Obelisk student began staring each other down with intense gazes. Something Chronos picked up on.

"Okay, since this was on such short notice, I must ask you two if you're really ready to do this" Chronos stated, glancing at the two. However, he stopped upon noticing the heavy bags under Shin's eyes. "Signore Shin, are you sure you're ready? You seem...quite exhausted already" he said.

"I'm fine" Shin immediately brushed him off, not taking his eyes off his opponent.

"O-Okay then" Chronos mumbled, a little sweatdrop rolling on his forehead. He then cleared his throat, assuming a formal tone. "If both contestants are ready, then Signore Shin's Punishment Duel will begin with his first opponent, Signore Ren. Anything you two have to say to one another before the duel starts?" he asked the two.

"You may have won against Kenji, but don't think that luck will save you from a true duelist like me." Ren said blankly, looking at Shin with disdain. Something Shin reciprocated, which was evident in his own response.

"A true duelist?" Shin laughed, before glaring at Ren. "A true duelist doesn't throw away his cards because he thinks they're useless" he spat, making Ren widen his eyes in surprise for a moment, before settling into a blank expression again. "I'll never lose to a hypocrite like you."

And with that, Shin turned on his heel, and walked to his designated spot on the other side of the field.

"Humph!" Ren scoffed, before doing the same.

Left alone in the middle, Chronos was confused by the apparent mutual distrust between the two, but decided it would be best to just ignore it for now.

"Alright, then! Let the duel...commence!" he declared, as the two activated their Duel Disks.

""DUEL!"" the two declared, drawing their starting hands with force.

 **Ren:** **8000 LP**

 **Shin: 8000 LP**

"I'll start things off" Ren declared, drawing his sixth card, without even giving Shin time to reply. "First, I'll summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in ATK mode. Then I set one card face down and end my turn" he said, and the two cards appeared on the field.

 **Twin-Headed Behemoth (1500/1200) -LV3-**

 **TURN END: Ren 8000 LP**

"Then it's my turn. I draw!" Shin drew his card strongly, followed by a little gust of wind. Glancing at his cards, Shin began forming his plan.

"First, I discard one card from my hand" he began, pushing one card into his GY slot. "In order to Special Summon The Tricky!"

On the field, a black portal appeared, from which a puppet like monster appeared, wearing jester clothing and a cape.

 **The Tricky (2000/1200) -LV5-**

"The Tricky, attack Twin-Headed Behemoth!" Shin ordered.

His monster obeyed, and gathered a blob of black magic in it's hand, which it then launched toward Twin-Headed Behemoth, destroying it almost immediately.

 **Ren: 8000 → 7500 LP**

"I set one card, and end my turn. You're up" Shin said, inserting the card in his Magic Card slot.

 **TURN END: Shin 8000 LP**

"Since your turn ended, I can activate my monster's Special Effect!" Ren stated, as Twin-Headed Behemoth appeared on the field once again. "If my monster was destroyed by battle this turn, I can Special Summon it back to the field, but it's ATK and DEF become 1000."

 **Twin-Headed Behemoth (1000/1000) -LV3-**

"Now, I sacrifice Twin-Headed Behemoth, and Tribute Summon Luster Dragon #2, in ATK mode!" Ren declared, as his monster exploded into pixels.

Those pixels then transformed into a massive crystal. The crystal then cracked, before a giant green dragon emerged from it, emerald plating around various parts of it's body.

 **Luster Dragon #2 (2400/1400) -LV6-**

"Time to repay that damage you did" Ren stated, entering his Battle Phase. "Luster Dragon, attack The Tricky!" he commanded, as his dragon reared it's head back, before shooting a blast of green flames toward Shin's monster.

"Too bad" Shin stated, pressing a button on his Duel Disk. "I activate the Trap, Magic Cylinder!" he announced, as the card raised up.

Then, two giant cups appeared in front of The Tricky. Luster Dragon's fireball entered on of the cups, before exiting through the other one, heading straight toward Ren. And it didn't take long for it to reach him, exploding upon impact.

 **Ren: 7500 → 5100 LP**

"As you can see, Magic Cylinder redirects your attack and sends it right back at you" Shin explained calmly, as the smoke cleared from Ren's side of the field

"Tch. It's only a matter of time" Ren mumbled, taking one card and inserting it into the slot on his Duel Disk. "I set one card and end my turn."

 **TURN END: Ren 5100 LP**

"My turn then. Draw!" Shin didn't even need to look at the card he drew, to know which one it was. She announced it herself.

" **I-I don't think I'm ready for this after all, Shin-sama..."** Silent Magician mumbled, hugging onto Shin's head, the boy having an unamused expression on his face.

"If that's your first response to everything, then you'll never gain the confidence you want" Shin explained, studying his current hand.

" **B-But! I-I feel much more comfortable when I'm in my mature form!"** she exclaimed, making Shin raise an eyebrow.

"Then why don't you just turn into your LV8 form?" he asked confused, to which Silent Magician looked a little sheepish.

" **I've realized I can only stay in that form after it's played..."** she admitted, making Shin sigh a bit.

"Are you going to get a move on already?!" Ren exclaimed exasperated. "If you're done talking to your cards, make your move! We don't have all the time in the world!"

"We never agreed on a time limit for our turns" Shin replied blankly, making Ren grit his teeth a bit in frustration. "But, since I'm getting quite tired, I'll try my best to win this duel as soon as possible" he reassured.

"First, I summon Magician's Valkyria in ATK mode!" Shin announced, placing the card on his energy disk.

On the field, a seemingly older version of Dark Magician Girl appeared, though with a more revealing costume, and brown hair instead of blonde.

 **Magician's Valkyria (1600/1800) -LV4-**

"Next, I activate the Equip Spell, Black Pendant, and equip it to The Tricky!" Shin declared, as a necklace with a black gem appeared around The Tricky's neck. "Black Pendant give the monster it's equipped to an extra 500 ATK."

 **The Tricky (2500/1200)**

"The Tricky, attack his Luster Dragon!" Shin commanded, as his monster gathered magic in it's hand once again, throwing it toward Luster Dragon. The dragon shot a fireball in retaliation, however it was consumed by the black magic, which continued it's way toward Luster Dragon, destroying it on impact.

"Now, Magician's Valkyria! Attack Ren directly!"

The female Magician gathered dark magic at the tip of her scepter, before launching it toward Ren, causing a little explosion in his face, as his LP dropped even further.

 **Ren: 5100 → 3400 LP**

"I set one card and end my turn" Shin said, placing the card in the designated slot. "Hurry up~" he smirked, referencing Ren's earlier outburst.

 **TURN END: Shin 8000 LP**

"Then I draw!" Ren announced, drawing his card. Glancing at his hand, Ren smirked a bit. "It's time to show you why I'm the better duelist!" he grabbed a card from his hand, and slammed it on his Duel Disk.

"I summon Red Eyes B. Chick, in ATK mode!" he declared, as the familiar dragon baby appeared on the field, releasing a tiny flame, while roaring cutely.

 **Red Eyes B. Chick (800/500) -LV1-**

"Now I activate it's effect!" his monster suddenly became engulfed in flames, which formed into a fire pillar.

Shin and his friends narrowed their eyes a bit, knowing full well what was coming next, as Shin did the same just the other day.

"I Special Summon Red Eyes B. Dragon!" Ren declared.

From the fire pillar, the iconic black scaled dragon emerged, roaring loudly. Most of the audience were looking at the monster in awe, but Shin kept a constant poker face.

 **Red Eyes B. Dragon (2400/2000) -LV7-**

"Now it's Shin-kun that's staring Red Eyes down, and not his opponent..." Sho mumbled, looking at the current predicament.

"Don't worry Sho! Shin's got The Tricky who has more ATK points, so he's fine~" Judai replied, grinning widely.

"Is that so?" Ren wondered, having heard Judai from the stands. "Then what about this? I sacrifice Red Eyes B. Dragon!" he announced, as his dragon became enveloped by the familiar black flames.

"Using it's special effect, I summon Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

The black flames, grew in size, before forming into Red Eyes' stronger version. Landing behind Ren, Red Eyes Darkness Dragon roared loudly.

"And here's my monster's second effect! For every Dragon-type in my GY, Red Eyes gains an extra 300 ATK!" he exclaimed, as Red Eyes became enveloped by a black aura, releasing an ear deafening roar.

 **Red Eyes Darkness Dragon (2400 → 3600/2000) -LV9-**

"Oh shoot...I forgot about that one~" Judai laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. Asuka glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, before shaking her head slightly.

"Maybe you should try **not** to jinx the rest of this duel, Judai-kun" she sighed, focusing back on the duel in front of her. _'Come on Shin-kun. You are a user of Red Eyes as well. You can definitely win'_ she thought, keeping her faith in Shin.

Not like she needed to be worried, as Shin was completely calm right now.

' _Oh, I love it when the guys think they can actually take me by surprise with cards that I myself used at one point~'_ he thought, a tiny smirk appearing on his face.

"Let's bring this duel to an end. Red Eyes, attack Magician's Valkyria!" Ren declared, as Red Eyes began charging a black fireball in it's mouth, which it then shot toward Shin's monster.

 ***DOON***

The fireball collided with Valkyria's staff, only to shatter it immediately, destroying the magician right after. Surprisingly, the shockwave from the explosion actually caused Shin to loose balance and fall on his back with a thud.

 **Shin: 8000 → 6000 LP**

"Oww..." Shin groaned, standing back up on shaky legs.

Up in the stands, Judai cocked an eyebrow, confused as to why Shin seemed so weak all of a sudden. Meanwhile Asuka's face began displaying actual concern.

' _No...Stay awake Shin-kun! If you faint now it will count as a loss by default!'_ she thought, her and Sho looking on concerned.

"There's plenty more where that came from" Ren stated, as Shin shook his head to keep himself awake.

"You don't say…?" Shin mumbled, finally regaining his balance.

"I end my turn" the Obelisk stated simply, crossing his arms.

 **TURN END: Ren 3400 LP**

"Then it's my turn again...I draw!" Shin announced, drawing his card. As he looked at it, Silent Magician appeared once again, concern clear on her face.

" **Are you alright Shin-sama? You look exhausted already..."** she said, worried due to Shin's tired expression.

"I'll be fine...It's all the more reason to finish this duel as soon as possible…!" he stated, activating the card he just drew.

"I start my turn, by activating Pot of Greed!" he declared, as the smirking green jar appeared on his side of the field, producing two cards. Looking at them, Shin smiled, before glancing at Silent Magician. "Time to shine Silent Magician" and before she could reply, he quickly placed her card on his Duel Disk. "I summon Silent Magician LV4!"

 **Silent Magician LV4 (1000/1000)**

Ren's eyes widened in recognition, upon seeing the Loli magician. He then began to chuckle, which turned into a laugh.

"Ahaha~ So, I take it you went to the Reject Well, huh? That's the only place you could have gotten **that**! Hahaa~" he laughed, as Silent Magician seemed to get sadder with every word he said.

"You're laughing now, but I can assure you it won't last" Shin replied, causing Ren to stop laughing, and Silent Magician to look back him with small tears in her eyes.

"I will show you just how strong the card you threw away can be! And to make things interesting.." he smirked, raising his hand above his Duel Disk, as if he was about to surrender.

"Silent Magician will be the one to deliver the finishing blow! If she's destroyed before it happens, then I will surrender immediately!" he declared, making everyone's eyes open wide in shock.

"Did you hurt your head from Red Eye's blast?" Ren wondered, genuinely confused. "That weakling only has 1000 ATK, while my Red Eyes has 3600! You'll loose the duel next turn!" he declared, but Shin didn't look the least bit concerned.

"If you're so sure, then why don't you try it" he smirked, inserting his remaining cards in the slot on his Duel Disk. "I end my turn with these. I'll even give you a hint. One of these can stop one attack~"

 **TURN END**

"I'm really beginning to think you hit your head when you fell earlier" Ren stated, drawing his card. He then smirked. "But I won't refuse a free win! I activate, Double Attack!" he exclaimed, as the card flipped up on his field.

"I send Armed Dragon LV10 to the GY, and my Red Eyes gains another attack, as well as an extra 300 ATK!"

Red Eyes became enveloped in the same black aura, releasing another roar.

 **Red Eyes Darkness Dragon (3600 → 3900/2000)**

"I'll give you a few more second to come to terms with going home. In the meanwhile, Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack The Tricky!" the black dragon launched a big fireball toward the jester, destroying it immediately.

 **Shin: 6000 → 4600 LP**

"When a monster equipped with Black Pendant is destroyed, you receive 500 points of damage" Shin remarked offhandedly, as Ren felt a sudden jolt of electricity.

 **Ren: 3400 → 2900 LP**

"500 Damage is nothing! Have a nice trip home! Red Eyes, attack that weakling!" Ren commanded, as Red Eyes reared it's back once again, charging a fireball big enough to consume Silent Magician entirely.

Said spirit, looked back at Shin, panic clear on her face. However, Shin simply gave her a reassuring smile, he himself being as cool as s cucumber. Even though it was just a smile, Silent Magician could feel herself become much calmer as well.

But then, she heard as Red Eyes launched the fireball, and whipped her head back, eyes opening wide as she saw the fireball heading toward her at high speeds.

"You knew this was coming!" Shin announced, as one of his cards flipped up. "I activate the Trap, Negate Attack!" he announced, as Ren opened his eyes wide in surprise.

Just before the fireball could destroy Silent Magician, a white portal appeared before her, red Eyes' attack vanishing in it.

"Negate attack stops one of your attacks, and ends your Battle Phase~" Shin stuck his tongue out, making Ren grit his teeth lightly. "But, I can't let your Battle Phase end just like that, so I chan this!" he declared, as his second facedown flipped up. "Silent Burning!"

Silent Magician scepter suddenly light up, startling the spirit in the process, before a ring of blue flames appeared around Ren and Shin, burning soundlessly.

"If I control a 'Silent Magician' during the Battle Phase, I can activate this card. Then, we both draw until we're holding six cards each, so start drawing boy!" he declared excitedly, drawing six cards.

"How will that help you anyway?" Ren asked, drawing six cards as well. But then something happened.

Silent Magician became enveloped in a white aura, as her body seemed to mature, making the magician look like a grown woman trapped in a child's body. And with her body, her power grew as well.

 **Silent Magician LV4 (1500 → 3500/1000)**

"Wait what?!" Ren exclaimed, seeing Silent Magician's ATK skyrocket. "How did that weakling get that strong so quickly? What did you do?!" he shouted.

"I told you Silent Magician will be the one who delivers the finishing blow, didn't I?" Shin smirked confidently. "You thought Silent Magician was weak, simply because her base ATK is 1000. But you overlooked her special effect, which gives her a Silent Counter and 500 ATK every time you draw a card!" he declared, as five light blue flames appeared above Silent Magician.

"And when she get's five Silent Counters, Silent Magician can unlock her true potential" he explained, as the flames disappeared inside Silent Magician's body, who became completely enveloped in a white glow. "I special Summon, Silent Magician LV8!" Shin declared, as the light enveloping Silent Magician suddenly dispersed, revealing her truly mature body.

As she landed on her card, she looked at Red Eyes and Ren with a confident smirk, as if knowing she will be the one who comes out victorious.

"Tch! Red Eyes still has more ATK than her! Don't get to comfortable, because she's done on my next turn!" Ren stated, as his turn finished.

 **TURN END: Ren** **2900 LP**

"I'm afraid there won't be another turn~" Shin grinned the same grin as Silent Magician, the two exchanging silent glances, before nodding simultaneously.

"Time to end this! I activate, Polymerization!" Shin declared, as a sudden vortex appeared above him, next to Silent Magician. "Time to bring forth the ultimate Magical Swordsman by fusing Buster Blader and Dark Magician together!" he declared, making everyone's mouths drop, their eyes becoming wide as dinner plates when the fusion vortex began to actually resonate, meaning the fusion was working.

"But, since I don't have the Dark Magician in my hand, I used The Dark-Hex Sealed Fusion as a replacement~!" he stuck out his tongue childishly, as the vortex began spinning violently, signaling the arrival of Shin's monster.

" **Ultimate swordsman, enchant your mighty blade with the ancient runes, and enhance your power with long forgotten magic!"** Shin chanted, raising his hands to his side, before bringing them together. **"Fusion Summon! Appear before me, ultimate Magical Swordsman! Level 9, Dark Paladin!"**

As his chant finished, the vortex released a column of dark magic toward the field. Runes soon began appearing on the column, before it suddenly dispersed in a powerful gust of wind, revealing the fusion of Dark Magician and Buster Blader, the Dark Paladin.

 **Dark Paladin (2900/2400) -LV9-**

Everyone was left in awe, as one of Yugi's finishers landed on it's card in front of Shin.

"T-That's one of Yugi Muto's cards isn't it…?" a Ra student in the stands whispered to his friend, who nodded.

"I heard that's the card Yugi used to defeat Seto Kaiba's Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon during the Battle City finals!" one of the first year Obelisks exclaimed.

"I saw that on live broadcast! He actually won the duel with the Dark Paladin!" a third year Obelisk replied, staring at Shin's monster.

"That's so awesome! Just how many of Yugi's cards does Shin have?!" Judai exclaimed, an excited grin on his face. Sho was just happy that Shin seemed about to win the duel, and spare him and Judai from expulsion. Completely forgetting that there was still one more duel to go.

"To think Shin had this up his sleeve...It seems as if he's able to pull these cards out of thin air" Misawa wondered out loud, making Judai, Sho and Asuka suddenly turn to look at him in surprise.

"Misawa-kun, when did you get here?" Sho asked, making Misawa look at him with a sweatdrop.

"I've been here the whole time..." he deadpanned, his sweatdrop being passed onto the other three.

Back on the field, Ren couldn't help but stare at the Dark Paladin like everyone else.

"Since your Red Eyes gains power by the dragons in your GY, I figured it would be poetic justice for me to destroy it with the same kind of monster" Shin said, making Ren snap out of his staring, and look at him wide eyed.

"Dark Paladin's Special Effect activates! For every Dragon-type monster in either GY and on either field, Dark Paladin gains an additional 500 ATK!" Shin declared, as a purple-blue aura enveloped Dark Paladin, who swung his sword-scepter to the side, creating a massive gust of wind throughout the arena.

 **Dark Paladin (2900 → 5900/2400)**

"I told you this was the end! Dark Paladin, attack Red Eyes Darkness Dragon! **Mystical Buster Slash!"** he ordered, as Dark Paladin sprung high in the air, lifting his sword above his head.

With a mighty cry, Dark Paladin brought his sword down, sending a massive magic energy slash toward Red Eyes, who stood no chance against the swordsman's overwhelming strength.

Dark Paladin's attack cut clean through Red Eyes, and kept heading forward toward Ren. Upon impact, a big explosion ensued, followed by Red Eyes bursting into a mass of pixels.

 **Ren: 2900 LP → 900 LP**

As the smoke cleared, Ren was left standing with little cuts on his body. And his trouble wasn't over yet.

"You know what comes next, don't you?" Shin and Silent Magician smirked, making Ren's eyes open wide as dinner plates. "Silent Magician, show him just how strong you are! **Silent Burning!"** Shin commanded, with his duel spirit more than happy to oblige.

She then raised her scepter high, where a giant ball on black magic formed. With a confident 'Humpf!', Silent Magician launched her attack toward Ren, who simply close his eyes, accepting his defeat.

 ***DOOONN***

The attack exploded in Ren's face, depleting his remaining LP, while sending him skidding across the duel field.

 **Ren: 900 → 0 LP**

 **WINNER: SHIN!**

"I hope you've learned your lesson" Shin stated, as the holograms disappeared, Silent Magician remaining next to her master in her spirit form. "Every card can become an absolute tank with enough time and care" he smiled, glancing at Silent Magician, who covered her face with her hat, due to the massive blush she had.

"Guuhh...Fine...You were right" Ren mumbled, standing back up. "My job here is done..." and with that, he simply spun on his heel, and walked out of Duel Arena.

Left alone on the duel field, Shin sighed exhausted, beginning to feel weak in the knees. It was then that Samejima's voice resounded over the intercom.

" _Truly well done Shin. You managed to win your first duel in a grandiose way. However, you now have to face your last opponent"_ Samejima said, as Shin took a deep breath, doing his best to keep himself strong and standing, at least until he finishes his final duel.

"Alright then! I'm ready whenever!" Shin replied confidently, looking toward the faculty box, where Samejima was watching the duels from. "Who's my next opponent? I'm ready for them!" he declared.

"Oh, I certainly hope you are~" a new, but familiar to Shin, male voice called from the entrance, making Shin pale a little bit. Turning his head toward the entrance, his eyes became wide as dinner plates. "It's certainly been a while hasn't it, Shinnie-boy~?" the man asked amused, as Shin's expression turned blank, his right eye twitching.

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.

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"...Ah, son of a Toon…!" he grumbled, his shoulders slumping, while most of his earlier confidence suddenly vanished.

 **And that's a wrap~!**

 **This was Shin's first Punishment Duel! I hope you enjoyed it~**

 **Next up, Shin faces his final opponent, picked by none other than Seto Kaiba~ And it appears it's someone Shin already knows~ You guys can probably figure out who he is~.**

 **So yeah, there's not much to say about this chapter, since the next will be the continuation!**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed it~ As always, tell me what you thought of it in the reviews, and until next chapter.**

 **And to all of you reading this (depending on your time zone/ if you're reading this on the 1. January 2018) then…**

 **HAPPY NEW YEARS TO EVERYBODY! HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A WONDERFUL YEAR~**


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Punishment Duel pt. 2

"You guys...I'm not seeing things...am I?" Judai mumbled, as he and the rest of the student body watched with wide eyes, as Shin's final opponent walked forward.

Walking up the stage, was a tall man wearing a red business suit, looking to be around his mid thirties. He had long gray hair which fell down to his shoulders, covering his left eye. This man, was someone that everyone knew.

"Unless we're **all** hallucinating the same thing..." Misawa mumbled silently, staring at the man in awe. "Then no Judai, you're not seeing things. That's really Pegasus J. Crawford walking up the stage." he said, as the CEO of Industrial Illusions and creator of Duel Monsters stood in front of Shin, the two having a little conversation.

"We're so doomed..." Sho mumbled, a depressing aura appearing above his head. "There's no way Shin could win against the creator of Duel Monsters as he is now! We're so screweeed!" he whined, before Asuka spoke.

"You should be more concerned about Shin-kun loosing and getting expelled in your stead!" she suddenly snapped, taking everyone, even herself, by surprise.

"I-I'm s-sorry mam!" Sho whimpered, hiding behind his Big Bro, who looked at Asuka surprised.

"Geez Asuka. I know that we shouldn't be worried about ourselves right now, but there's no need to yell at the guy" he said, as Asuka gained a sweatdrop, as well as an apologetic face.

"Y-You're right. I'm sorry Sho-kun, I don't know what came over me" she said, as Sho nodded his head, remaining behind Judai. She then looked back on stage, where Shin and Pegasus assumed their positions, preparing to start the duel. _'Come on Shin-kun...Hang in there!_ _You can't lose now…!"_

 **A few moments ago, on the Duel Field…**

"What's wrong, Shinnie-boy?" Pegasus smiled, approaching the young teen. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Mind you, my time hasn't run out just yet~" he chuckled.

Shin, was just looking blankly at the man in front of him. The reason for that, was to not show his nervousness to the viewers.

Pegasus, was one of a handful of a people who could actually make Shin doubt his own skills. He was also one of the even fewer Duelists who Shin had never managed to beat before…

' _As I am right now...I'll need nothing short of a miracle to win...'_ Shin thought, feeling his eyelids grow heavier, while his knees grew increasingly weaker.

"Hello~?" Pegasus called, waving a hand in front of Shin, causing him to snap out of his little trance, and look back at the CEO. Said man having a curious expression on his face. "You seem a little out of it Shinnie-boy. Am I that intimidating to you~?" he teased, Shin's expression turning into a deadpan.

"By the time I'll be intimidated by a grown man obsessed with cartoon, pigs will be able to fly" he stated, making Pegasus laugh.

"Ahahaha, well you got me there~!" he laughed, before bringing it down to a soft chuckle. "Oh, you never fail to amuse me, little Shin~" he smiled, before noticing the **heavy** bags under Shin's eyes, his own opening in surprise. "Oh my. You look like that one anime character with the sand thingy on his back, Shinnie-boy. Whatever happened~?"

"Just the usual..." Shin sighed, as Pegasus nodded his head in understanding. "Anyway, let's just get this show on the run already. Feel like I'm gonna drop any minute now..." he mumbled, returning to his side of the arena.

"We can post pone this Duel for later you know?" Pegasus noted, making Shin glance back at him. "This is a risky game you're playing, Shin. If you fail here, not only will you be expelled, but from what Kaiba-boy told me, your friends up there will face the risk of expulsion as well. Are you sure you want to take that risk?" he questioned, looking at Shin with a raised eyebrow. The boy was silent for a moment, before a grin made it's way on his face.

"If there's one thing Seto-chan drilled into my head over the years..." he glanced back at Pegasus, an exhausted but determined expression on his face. "That's to never back down from a challenge, and always keep pushing your limits."

Hearing his answer, Pegasus couldn't help but gain a little smirk of his own, looking back at Shin with a serious expression.

"Have it your way Shin" Pegasus stated, turning around to walk to his own side of the field. "But do keep in mind that I won't hold back this time." as he walked, his smirk became a proud smile. _'You're definitely **her** son...willing to push against all odds, for even the smallest chance.'_ but then, his expression turned solemn, a sad frown appearing on his face. _'If only I had realized it sooner, that the chance she was reaching for at the time just wasn't there...maybe such a tragedy wouldn't have taken place...'_

However, he swiftly regained his composure, as he turned back to face his opponent, both duelists getting their Duel Disks ready.

"How do you want to do this, Shinnie-boy?" Pegasus wondered, raising an eyebrow. Shin tilted his head to the side.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"I meant Life Points, of course" Pegasus chuckled. "You said that you're about to drop, didn't you? Do you want to use 4000 LP, to make this duel quicker?" he suggested, as Shin raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"You just want that because it will give you more chances to beat me faster, don't you?" he narrowed his eyes lightly, making Pegasus laugh again.

"Even half asleep, and there's still nothing that get's by you it seems~" he chuckled, before shrugging his shoulder. "Kaiba-boy told me to make this as challenging as possible~ I'm just following directions~" he stated.

"Of course Seto-chan would say that..." Shin sighed, shaking his head. Then, he looked back up, a determined smirk on his face. "Fine then! We'll do this the old way, so let's go!"

It was then that Chronos appeared back on the field, standing between the two.

"Alright, it's time for your final duel. Signore Shin, are you ready?" Chronos asked, looking at Shin. The boy wordlessly nodded, his expression not budging. "Mister Pegasus? Are you ready?" he turned to Pegasus.

"I did not come all this way simply because Kaiba-boy asked me to" Pegasus stated, smirking. "I came here to see if Shinnie-boy has improved. So let's get this started!"

"Then without further ado" Chronos raised his hand in the air. "Let the duel- BEGIN!" he let his hand fall down, signaling the start of the duel.

""DUEL!"" Shin ad Pegasus shouted in unison, drawing their respective hands.

 **Shin: 4000 LP**

 **Pegasus: 4000 LP**

"I'm feeling generous today, so I'll give you the first turn~" Pegasus smiled, crossing his arms, allowing Shin to have the first move.

The boy didn't hesitate, and simply drew his card.

Glancing at the card however, his vision became blurry for a second, making him frown lightly.

' _Shit...This is getting worse by the minute...'_ he blinked his eyes a few times, so he would be able to see the cards in his hand. _'I can't let this drag on...against someone like him, mental fatigue is a guaranteed loss…!'_ he thought, grateful as his vision finally cleared back up.

"I'll start things off by summoning Skilled Dark Magician, in ATK mode!" Shin stated, placing the monster card on his duel disk, the cloaked magician materializing on the field.

 **Skilled Dark Magician (1900/1700) -LV4-**

"Next I set one card and end my turn" Shin stated, inserting the card in his Duel Disk. A facedown card materialized on the field, right behind Skilled Dark Magician.

 **TURN END: Shin 4000 LP**

"Then it's my turn now~ I draw!" Pegasus drew his card normally, smiling all the way. Glancing at his card, he started giggling, making the audience sweatdrop slightly. Shin however, knew how Pegasus dueled, so he remained on his toes.

"I think I'll start things off by Special Summoning this little guy~ The new series of Toons... Cyber Toon Dragon!" he declared, as the oh-so familiar Toon monster appeared on the field, releasing a mechanical screech.

 **Toon Cyber Dragon (2100/1600) -LV5-**

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.

.

"I expected more...reaction, from these students" Pegasus noted with a little sweatdrop, looking at the masses.

He expected them to be surprised at the new Toon Monster, as it had only been released a little over a week ago, so he was confused as to how these students already seemed to know about the monster.

"Oh hey! It's the same monster Shin used in his duel with that Kenji guy!" Judai exclaimed, pointing at the mechanical dragon. Raising an eyebrow, Pegasus glanced at Shin.

"I take it you already introduced some the new Toon monsters?" he questioned, with Shin shrugging his shoulders.

"Didn't really mean to. I just happened to be playing around with them when my duel was announced, so yeah" he said blankly, making a sweatdrop appear on Pegasus' face.

"Well great, there goes my grand reveal..." the man pouted childishly, before shrugging his shoulders. "Oh well. Since my wonderful Toon can't attack on the turn it was summoned, I guess I, too, will end my turn by setting cards. Two of them" he stated, as his two facedown cards appeared on the field. "You're up Shinnie-boy~"

 **TURN END: Pegasus 4000 LP**

"Then I draw!" Shin declared, drawing his card. Glancing at the card he drew, he smirked lightly.

"Now we're getting somewhere..." Shin mumbled, inserting the card he just drew into his Duel Disk. "I activate, Future Fusion!" he declared, as the card flipped up. "With it, I can Special Summon a Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck within two turns after this card's activation!"

"Let me guess, you're planning on summoning your Dark Paladin again, aren't you~?" Pegasus wondered, making Shin suddenly stop and look at him surprised. Not just him, but the rest of the spectators were took by surprise as well. "Oh don't look so surprised Shinnie-boy~ You know I can see everything..." he stated, as the hair covering his left eyes parted slightly, shocking Shin.

' _The Millennium Eye?!'_ the boy panicked, quickly glancing at his own Millennium Item. To his relief, it showed no sign of being active, which made him release a breath, before looking back at Pegasus with a small smirk.

"You actually scared me there for a second" he chuckled. "But I know you don't have **that** anymore, so you must've seen my previous duel right? At least the end of it."

"Spot on again~" Pegasus smiled, pointing back at the door. "I happened to arrive just in time to see you finishing that boy. It was a marvelous finish as well~"

"Glad to see I impressed" Shin chuckled a bit, before his body began swaying again, so he quickly got himself back together and continued his turn, as a purple flame appeared above Skilled Dark Magician's head.

"I send Buster Blader and Dark Magician to the GY, so I can Special Summon Dark Paladin on my second Standby Phase! And with it, Skilled Dark Magician's effect also activates! For every Spell card activated while my monster is face up on the field, I place one Spell Counter on him!"

"And when there's three Counters, you can use them to Special Summon Dark Magician from your deck" Pegasus stated, shocking everyone once again. "No reason to be so surprised now everybody. I created them, so of course I know what all the cards do" the man explained.

"...Right" Shin sweatdropped. "I set another card facedown, and switch Skilled Dark Magician to DEF mode" he stated, as his monster crouched down, crossing his arms over his chest. "I end my turn."

 **TURN END: Shin 4000 LP**

"Oh, what's wrong Shinnie-boy~? Going on the defensive already?" Pegasus chuckled lightly. "You should already know that you can't stop my Toons, Shinnie-boy~ Not as long as you don't control a Toon monster yourself" he stated, as Cyber Toon began laughing, preparing to pounce toward Shin and his monster.

"There are plenty ways to get rid of your Toons, Pegasus-chan~" Shin replied, a little smirk on his face.

"I'm well aware of that fact. Once again, I was the one who created them~" Pegasus sang, before becoming serious again. "Toon Cyber Dragon, attack Shinnie-boy's monster!"

The dragon nodded, before rearing back, and lunging at Skilled Dark Magician, it's metal fangs ready. However, before Cyber Toon reached Shin's monster, it suddenly stopped.

 ***DOING*-!**

To be more precise, Cyber Toon's body suddenly coiled around it's head, as if the monster just collided with an invisible wall. And just like that, Cyber Toon sprang right back to Pegasus, in a way similar to an accordion, landing back on it's card with a cartoonish bump on it's head, even though it was made of metal.

"Told ya~" Shin sang, as one of his facedown cards flipped up, revealing it to be Negate Attack. "Negate Attack prevents your monster from attacking, and ends your Battle Phase~"

"I knew it wouldn't be that easy" Pegasus stated, shrugging his shoulders. "Oh well. The only thing little ol' me can do now, is summon this. Toon Gemini Elf, in ATK mode!" as the cartoon sisters appeared on Pegasus' field, the man smirked. "Since it appears we're still playing around, I thought it would be appropriate to bring out a few more playmates~"

"Don't worry, Pegasus-chan. Playtime ends soon~" Shin smirked back, inciting a chuckle from Pegasus.

"Then I can't wait to see what you have in store, Shinnie-boy~ I end my turn!" he declared, as Shin reached to draw his new card.

 **TURN END: Pegasus 4000 LP**

"My turn again! I draw!" the dual haired teen declared, drawing his card strongly. However, his body started swaying again, his knees shaking lightly...

 **Moments prior…**

Stood on a couch inside his office on the top floor of Kaiba Corp tower, was Seto Kaiba himself.

In front of him, was a large monitor, currently displaying Shin's duel against Pegasus. Kaiba told Shin he would be monitoring the duel performance of the boy's Duel Disk, and Seto was a man of his word.

Then, the door slid open, revealing Seto's younger brother, Mokuba.

"I've brought them Onii-sama" the boy called, entering the room.

And right behind him, entered three people. They were all around the same age as Kaiba, two of them being boys while the third was female.

"What's this all about, calling us out here all of sudden Kaiba?" one of the men asked confused.

He had blonde hair in a sporadic hairstyle and brown eyes. His clothes consisted of a black T-Shirt with red stripes, and normal jeans. He also had a regular Duel Disk on his left hand.

"The squirt got himself in trouble again" Kaiba stated simply, not taking his eyes off the screen in front of him, as Mokuba sat himself on the couch right next to his brother. Kaiba's statement caused the three to open their eyes in surprise.

"Shin? Oh no, what happened now?" the girl asked, concern clear in her voice and on her face.

She had shoulder length brown hair, and warm blue eyes. Her outfit consisted of a yellow sleeveless shirt, a white belt around her waist, a short pink skirt and thigh-high black stockings, a pair of red shoes on her feet.

"The usual." Kaiba shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Apparently, him and a few others went traveling around the forest at midnight, and ended up trespassing. The interesting thing is, only his friends got ratted out."

"What?" the third man asked curiously. A man who, by now, doesn't need an introduction. "And how did he end up getting in trouble?"

"He stuck his neck out for them. He called me as soon as they got dragged away, and told me he'd take their punishment instead. Buut, since the punishment was supposed to be expulsion, I had to change things up a little bit. And now, this is happening" he gestured toward the monitor, making the three guests glance up at the screen, only for their eyes to widen in surprise.

"Hold on, why is Shin dueling Pegasus of all people?" the blonde asked, looking back at Seto, who calmly sipped his coffee.

"That's his punishment for trespassing. He's supposed to battle two opponents, and if he loses, he get's expelled immediately" Seto explained, shocking the three.

"And who decided it was a good idea to have him duel Pegasus?!" the girl exclaimed miffed.

"I did" Seto answered simply, making the girl and her blonde companion do a spit take. They then looked back at Kaiba, frowns on their faces.

"Oi! Are you **trying** to expel Shin after he just started?!" the blonde shouted, followed by the girl.

"Yeah! You're the one who wrote his recommendation letter! Why would you make him duel the creator of the game?!" she exclaimed angrily. Kaiba didn't even have to respond, as the third guest eat him to the punch.

"Anzu. Jonouchi. Everything will be just fine" the man said calmly, making Anzu and Jonouchi look at him.

"But Yugi-" Anzu began, only for the King of Duelists to raise his hand in a calming manner.

"Pegasus doesn't have the Millennium Eye anymore, so he can't cheat to see Shin's cards and strategies. I know Shin has what it takes to beat Pegasus with ease" Yugi said, a slight smile on his face.

"You're saying that, but the kid never actually won against him yet. What makes you think he can pull it off now?" Jonouchi answered confused.

"I have faith in him and his skills. He can do it." was Yugi's simple answer, as he glanced back at his best friend.

"Don't wanna interrupt, but why does Shin look just about ready to collapse?" Mokuba suddenly quipped, making Yugi, Anzu and Jonouchi quickly look back up at the screen. And true to the observation, Shin's body began swaying, his left knee actually giving out for a quick second.

"Oh yeah, I **might** have been a little rash with deciding the time of Shin's duels" Kaiba quipped, swiftly taking another sip of his coffee, as Anzu snapped her head toward him.

"Explain!" she demanded, making a single bead of sweat appear on Seto's forehead. If there was anything the man was afraid of, it was women when they were mad. That was a lesson he learned the hard way…

"Apparently, the squirt had another one of his insomnia episodes. I think his body is beginning to give out" Seto explained, making the three look at him incredulously. "Don't look at me like that. He didn't tell me that when he called me" he defended, but Anzu retained her miffed expression.

"Then why aren't you calling off the Duel?!" she shrieked, causing Seto to flinch for a split second.

"Pegasus already tried that" Seto said, taking another sip of his coffee. "The squirt himself wanted to continue."

"Still!" Anzu said, before Jonouchi placed his hand on her shoulder, making her glance back at him.

"Let's calm down Anzu" the blonde said. "If Shin wanted this, let's follow Yugi's advice and have some faith in him."

"But he's just 15! He's still a child, Jonouchi! These 'insomnia episodes' aren't healthy for someone his age!" she exclaimed, causing Jonouchi to reel back.

"Geez, it's almost as if you're his mother or something, Anzu" he said cautiously, a sweatdrop on his face.

"Well, someone has to play the part!" she shouted exasperated, before looking at Yugi. "Yugi, say something too!"

"Follow Jonouchi's advice" he said simply, pointing back at the screen. "Shin's back on his feet. And from the looks of it, he's ready to start cracking down on Pegasus."

Looking back at the screen, Anzu saw Shin standing his ground once again, preparing to attack Pegasus, as one of his facedown cards flipped up, a special card being Special Summoned to his field.

"See? Everything's fine, you guys" Mokuba quipped, before patting the couch. "Now come on. Take a seat and enjoy the show."

The three followed the young boy's advice, and sat down on the massive couch, with Yugi seated next to Kaiba, Anzu to Yugi's right and Jonouchi to her right, at the end of the couch.

"By the way, isn't kind of funny that Anzu-san is playing the role of the mother, while Onii-sama is the one who actually has custody of Shin?" Mokuba wondered, bringing the attention to him. "Going by that logic, it should be Kisara-san that play's the role of the mother~" the boy grinned, causing Seto to choke on his coffee, while Jonouchi looked at Kaiba with a smug smile.

But before he could say anything, a sweet female voice resounded, as the door opened once more.

"I heard my name just then~" a young woman called, entering the room.

She was a beautiful woman, with flowing white hair reaching all the way to her thighs, and deep blue eyes. She currently wore a simple business suit, and held a clipboard in her hand.

"Oh, hey Kisara-san! We're just talking about who should play the role of Shin's mom~" Mokuba grinned, causing Kisara to open her eyes wide in surprise.

"Oh? How exactly did this question come about? And how am I involved?" she questioned, sitting on one of the chairs next to the couch. Mokuba pointed at the ongoing duel, yet again surprising the young woman.

"Well, Shin's dueling Pegasus in order to not be expelled from Duel Academia, and Anzu-san was worrying too much about him. Almost like a mother!" Mokuba explained, Seto slightly sinking into the couch, as he knew what his brother was going to say next. "And then I reminded them that Onii-sama is actually Shin's guardian, so that would technically mean that you're his mom~" he said, making a fluorescent blush appear on the girls face.

"O-Oh, is that so...Well, it would certainly...seem that way" she mumbled, glancing at Seto, who was simply sipping his coffee, while watching Shin's duel. Jonouchi wanted to speak, but was swiftly silenced by Anzu's deadpan look.

Yugi simply watched the duel quietly, observing as the field began shifting again, this time in a rather worrying direction.

 **Returning to the Duel Field…**

' _This is really getting dangerous now...'_ Shin struggled a bit to keep his balance. _'I can't have this duel drag on any longer...I have to finish it!'_ he declared, managing to find the strength to keep himself standing again.

"I'll start my turn by sending Polymerization to the GY, in order to Special Summon The Tricky, in ATK mode!" Shin declared, as the familiar Jester appeared on his field, standing next his other magician.

 **The Tricky (2000/1200) -LV5-**

"Now, I switch Skilled Dark Magician to ATK mode!" his monster stood back up, readying his magic staff. "Time to battle! Skilled Dark Magician, attack Toon Gemini Elf!" Shin declared, as his monster formed an orb of black magic at the tip of his staff.

Before he attacked however, Shin's set card suddenly flipped up.

"However I now activate, Magician's Circle!" Shin declared, as a hexagram suddenly appeared on both Shin and Pegasus' field. "Now, we can both summon a Spellcaster with 2000 or less ATK" Shin explained, as the normal version of Gemini Elf appeared on Pegasus' side of the field.

Shin's hexagram however, was a little different.

From the hexagram, a pink tornado appeared, making everyone open their eyes wide. Shin himself having the biggest grin on his face.

"Time to take the stage Partner! I special Summon, Dark Magician Girl in ATK mode!" he declared, as the spectators mouths dropped, their eyes becoming dinner plates, as Shin's most trusted card appeared from the tornado, taking her spot on the field.

 **Dark Magician Girl (2300/1700) -LV6-**

"No way! That's the real Dark Magician Girl?!" one of the students watching exclaimed, gaping at the female Magician.

"First Dark Paladin, and now the Dark Magician Girl?! Just who the hell **is** this kid?!" a senior Obelisk exclaimed baffled.

"I-I don't believe this…! It's impossible-!" Manjoume, currently watching from the upper stands, was unable to close his gaping mouth. _'That's… one of Yugi Muto's signature cards...why does **he** have it?! I-I can't believe this! Just who **are** you Shin?!'_

"Oh yeah, we finally get to see the Dark Magician Girl in action! Someone record this!" Judai exclaimed happily, stars appearing in his eyes.

"So that's the real Dark Magician Girl" Misawa mumbled, eyes glazed on Shin's partner, curiosity evident on his face. "Incredible..."

Sho had already seen the Dark Magician Girl before, so he wasn't as surprised as Misawa, but that still didn't stop him from gawking at the girl's curves, a dark blush appearing on his face.

' _So that's your 'Partner'...'_ Asuka thought, a smile forming on her face. _'If you managed to summon that, then you must have a plan to win. Just hang in there!'_ she encouraged, hoping she could somehow send it to the boy.

Unbeknownst to her, it worked somehow, as Shin felt some of his stamina return, his mind becoming a little clear.

"Alright then, time to start the fun" Shin declared, his smirk still present. "Skilled Dark Magician, continue your attack on Toon Gemini Elf!" he called, as the monster sent the orb of black magic toward the twins.

They retaliated by hitting it back, though in doing so, a little glob remained stuck to them, exploding in a cartoonish way, leaving the monsters covered in ash, before they disintegrated into pixels.

The attack then returned to Skilled Dark Magician, exploding upon impact, shattering the monster into pixels as well. The explosion made Shin cover his face, as he slightly stumbled back a step.

"Guh-!" he cringed slightly, before regaining his composure. "The Tricky, attack the regular Gemini Elf!" he commanded, as the process repeated. His monster gathered a blob of magic in it's hand, which it threw toward the girls, destroying them almost immediately.

 **Pegasus: 4000 → 3900 LP**

"And for the grand finale! Partner, attack his Toon Cyber Dragon!"

" **Hm!"** his partner nodded her head without hesitation, and charged a ball of black magic on her scepter, which she launched toward the mechanical dragon, who began panicking.

The dragon resolved to it's fate, and somehow pulled out a white flag from thin air, which it began waving pathetically until DMG's attack exploded it into oblivion.

 **Pegasus: 3900 → 3700 LP**

"That's it for my turn" Shin stated, crossing his arms. "You're up Pegasus-chan. Playtime is officially over~"

"So I've noticed" the man replied, calmly drawing his card. Glancing at his hand, he smirked. "Well, since you have gotten serious now, I think it's only fair that I do too, no?" he questioned, taking a card from his hand, and inserting it into his duel disk.

"I activate, Card of Sanctity!" he declared, as his card appeared on the field. "Now we both draw until we're each holding six cards. So draw you hand Shinnie-boy, and accept the fact that you're leaving this academy!" Pegasus stated, as he drew an extra 3 cards, while Shin drew 4.

"I now activate, the Black Illusion Ritual!" he announced, as the golden pot bearing the Eye of Wdjat appeared on his side of the field, making Shin gulp. And it seems Misawa saw the same danger as Shin.

"This isn't good" Misawa stated, making his friends look at him. "If Pegasus is doing what I think he's doing, then Shin is going to have a very big problem on his hands..."

"What do you mean Misawa-kun?" Sho asked, looking up at the boy.

"Keep watching, and you'll understand" the Ra student said, focusing back on the duel.

"Now, I must sacrifice monsters from my side of the field or hand, to total the Level of the monster I want to summon" Pegasus said, taking a single card from his hand, and sending it to the GY. "I discard Toon Alligator, to Ritual Summon, Relinquished!" he declared, as the pot before him released a reddish miasma, which then formed into a giant floating monster.

 **Relinquished (0/0) -LV1-**

"Wait, that's what Pegasus wanted to summon?" Judai tilted his head to the side in confusion, a sentiment shared by Sho.

"Yeah, that monster has zero ATK and DEF points. It's pretty pathetic" the little boy mumbled. However, Misawa shook his head.

"Looks aren't everything you two" he said, making the two Slifer's look at him. "That monster is more of a threat to Shin than you realize"

""How?"" the two boys asked simultaneously. This time, it was Asuka's turn to answer.

"Relinquished has a special effect" she stated, bringing attention to her. "Once per turn, it can equip one of the opponents monsters to itself, and basically use it as a shield. Right now, Shin-kun is at a huge disadvantage, because he has Dark Magician Girl out on the field. If Relinquished equips her to itself, not only will Shin-kun lose his strongest monster, but Relinquished will **gain** all of Dark Magician Girl's ATK and DEF points. And if Shin-kun **does** manage to bring out a stronger monster and attack Relinquished, it will destroy Dark Magician Girl instead, allowing it to equip another monster on the next turn, and repeat the process" Asuka explained to the two, glancing at Shin concerned.

"Your girlfriend over there certainly knows her stuff, Shinnie-boy~" Pegasus chuckled, making a blush appear on Shin's face, Asuka being too far away to hear it.

"S-She's not my girlfriend!" he exclaimed, Asuka hearing **this** however. And so, she promptly blushed at the thought of her and Shin actually being a couple.

"Sure she isn't Shinnie-boy~" the man grinned. "It always starts that way you know~?" he laughed, making Shin blush even more. But then he regained his game face.

"Fortunately for you however, you won't be dealing with Relinquished" he said, smirking. "You'll be dealing with something worse! I activate, Polymerization!" he declared, making Shin's eyes widen.

"I fuse my Thousand Eyes Idol from my hand, with Relinquished on my field, to Fusion Summon the Thousand Eyes Restrict!" he announced, as the two monsters merged, forming a slightly different version of Relinquished, multiple eyes appearing on it's body.

 **Thousand Eyes Restrict (0/0) -LV1-**

"Ah crap…!" Shin cursed, looking at the monster. And to make matters worse, he began feeling his body weaken again, his vision becoming slightly blurry again.

Up in the stands, Judai became even more confused.

"OK, I really don't get these monsters. It's basically the same as the other one, only with more eyes" he noted, raising an eyebrow in confusion..

"Thousand Eyes Restrict is even worse than Relinquished" Misawa stated, bringing the attention onto him, once more. "Thousand Eyes restrict has an added effect to those of Relinquished. Now none of Shin's monsters can attack **or** change their battle position."

"Which means that Shin-kun can't even defend himself against Pegasus' monster" Asuka continued, her eyebrows furrowing. _'C'mon Shin-kun! You have the to think of a way to destroy that monster without using your monsters'_

Back on the Duel Field, Pegasus laughed again.

"What's wrong Shinnie-boy~? Is Thousand Eyes Restrict still that intimidating?" he questioned amused. The boy didn't answer, instead seemed to concentrate on something. That something however, was being able to stand upright.

"Well, we all know what happens next, don't we?" Thousand Eyes Restrict suddenly opened it's body, as multiple tendrils shot out from it's body, heading toward Dark Magician Girl.

" **Kyaa-!?"** she panicked, as the tendrils wrapped around her arms and feet, and began dragging her toward Thousand Eyes Restrict, the girl thrashing as hard as she could, trying to prevent it somehow.

However, it all turned out to be futile, as she was swiftly absorbed into the monster, disappearing from view. However she soon reemerged, trapped in one of Thousand Eyes Restrict's wings, seemingly unconscious.

 **Thousand Eyes Restrict 0 → 2300 ATK/ 0 → 1700 DEF**

Shin growled lightly, as he saw his Partner get absorbed into TER.

"What's wrong, Shinnie-boy?" Pegasus questioned with a smirk. "Upset that your precious 'Partner' will be your downfall~?"

Shin's eyes narrowed, as Thousand Eyes Restrict began charging up a ball of dark magic in it's hands.

"Well, at least it will be a quick loss~ Thousand Eyes Restrict, attack The Tricky!" Pegasus commanded, as the monster threw the dark magic at Shin's monster, destroying it almost immediately, causing Shin to stumble even further back, due to the ensuing explosion.

 **Shin 4000 → 3700 LP**

"And now, since I'm not certain on whether you have a De-Fusion magic card in your hand, I'll go on the safe side and get rid of that Future Fusion on your field, so I won't have to deal with your Dark Paladin~ I activate, Heavy Storm!" he declared, as heavy winds picked up on the field, turning Shin's card into pixels soon after.

"That's enough damage for now. I end my turn~" Pegasus sang, allowing Shin to get on with his turn.

 **TURN END: Pegasus 3700 LP**

"Then it's my turn again. I draw!" Shin stated, drawing his card a little shakily. However, the familiar presence he felt upon drawing the card, seemingly gave him a little boost of strength.

" **Shin-sama are you alright?"** Silent Magician, in her mature form once again, asked the boy upon seeing him. Mainly the dark rings and bags under his eyes.

"I'll be alright...But I'm in a bit of a pickle" Shin mumbled, gesturing toward Pegasus' monster. The spirit looked, only to squeak in surprise upon seeing Dark Magician Girl trapped in it's wing. "Exactly. We need to get her out of there as soon as possible. You ready for it?" he asked, Silent Magician almost immediately shaking her head. Shin however nodded.

"That's the spirit. I summon Silent Magician LV4 in ATK mode!" he declared, as the frightened magician appeared on the field, reverting back to her Loli form.

 **Silent Magician LV4 (1000/1000)**

"Next, I activate Swords of Revealing Light!" he inserted the card in his Duel Disk, as multiple spades made of light appeared around Thousand Eyes Restrict.

"I place one card facedown and end my turn" Shin announced, as his facedown appeared behind Silent Magician. "Thanks for that Card of Sanctity, by the way. It helped me as well" the boy said.

 **TURN END: Shin 3700 LP**

"Oh, so it helped you? Well then, I'm glad~" Pegasus stated, drawing his card. As he did, a light blue flame lit up above Silent Magician's head, as he effect activated.

 **Silent Magician LV4 1000 → 1500 ATK**

"Ah yes, the LV monsters" Shin noted, glancing at Silent Magician. "So that's your plan? Stalling until your monster is stronger than Thousand Eyes Restrict?" Pegasus then chuckled, inserting the card he just drew inside his Duel Disk. "Too bad! I activate, Mystical Space Typhoon and destroy your Swords of Revealing Light!"

A sudden tornado picked up on Pegasus' field, circling around Thousand Eyes Restrict. Soon enough, it picked up all of the light spades, and turned them into a mass of pixels, making Shin take a tiny step back.

"Thousand Eyes Restrict, get rid of that Loli before she can mature!" Pegasus ordered, as his monster created another ball of dark magic, which it launched toward Silent Magician.

" **Kya-?!"** startled, the female Magician closed her eyes, bracing for the attack.

"Trap Card, activate! Magic Cylinder!" Shin announced, as a large cup appeared in front of Silent Magician, TER's attack going in it. Then, another cup appeared next to the first one, sending the previous attack right back at Pegasus.

 **Pegasus: 3700 → 1400 LP**

As the smoke cleared, Pegasus dusted himself off, glancing back at Shin with a small smirk.

"I should've seen that coming, honestly" he mumbled, shaking his head. "Shame on me, it seems~" Pegasus chuckled, before he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, there's nothing else I can do, so I guess I'll just end my turn for now~"

 **TURN END: Pegasus 1400 LP**

"Then I draw!" Shin declared, drawing his card.

Glancing at his cards, Shin tried coming up with a winning strategy, which was a little difficult, as his vision kept getting blurry, his mind not being able to focus properly.

' _There's...something missing'_ the boy thought, finally seeing his hand properly. As hazy as his mind was, he managed to find a way to stall a little, but still wasn't able to come up with something that could win him the duel.

"I-I set one card and end my turn..." Shin stated, as his card appeared on the field.

 **TURN END: Shin 3700 LP**

Seeing him simply setting a card, made his friends start to worry.

"C'mon Shin, you gotta have something better than that…!" Judai mumbled, a little worry appearing on his face. Sho had already gained his depressing aura again, while Misawa kept a poker face. However, he was also a little worried about Shin's current situation.

' _That card better be something that can help you, Shin-kun...You can't leave us so soon!'_ she thought, hoping for the best. What she didn't know however, was that she actually wished Shin wouldn't leave **her** so soon…

"A simple face down? I see you're trying to stall, Shinnie-boy~" Pegasus smirked, glancing at his set card.

' _Your body language is giving you away, Shinnie-boy'_ Pegasus thought amused, seeing Shin's left foot sliding back, signaling he was bracing for something. _'That card must be something risky it seems...Well, no point in living life without risks huh~?'_

"My turn again. I draw!" Pegasus declared, drawing his next card. Looking at it, he smirked. "I activate, Pot of Greed, in order to draw two new cards!" he stated, as the green pot appeared on his field, spitting out two new cards for Pegasus.

And with all those cards, Silent Magician seemed to age slightly, as three more flames appeared above her head, her power rising.

 **Silent Magician 1500 → 3000 ATK**

Seeing Silent Magician's power rise ranks above Thousand Eyes Restrict's, made Shin and his friends gain some hope. Unfortunately, Pegasus was a champion once, as well as the creator of the game. He had multiple ways of getting rid of strong monsters.

"Oh, your monster sure got strong really fast~" the man chuckled, never losing his game face, however. "Unfortunately for you, my deck is prepared for such occasions~ I activate, Axe of Despair!" Pegasus declared, as a demonic looking axe appeared in Thousand Eyes Restrict's hand, Shin having a feeling of dread wash over him.

 **Thousand Eyes Restrict 2300 → 3300 ATK**

"Looks like your Magician has been surpassed, once again~" Pegasus noted, as Shin's monster began to cower slightly. "Thousand Eyes Restrict, attack Silent Magician!"

Pegasus' monster obeyed, and raised it's axe high in the air, as a layer of dark magic enveloped the blade. Then, with a mighty swing, TER sent a massive wave of dark magic toward Silent Magician.

"I activate my facedown! Roulette Spider!" Shin declared, his card flipping up while TER's attack stopped.

On the field, a roulette wheel appeared. From behind the wheel, as cartoonish spider appeared, having an arrow coming out of it torso. It then crawled unto the middle of the wheel, and began spinning rapidly.

"Now that the roulette is spinning, I can get one of six effects." Shin began listing the possible effect, as the spider kept spinning.

"If the spider lands on 1, my LP get cut in half. 2 Will make your attack a direct attack. 3 is useless, since it will just let your attack continue toward Silent Magician. 4 will redirect our own attack toward your monster. 5 negates the attack, and deals the damage right back to you. And 6 will destroy your monster" Shin stated, as his roulette began slowing down.

As the spider slowed down more and more, Shin and his friends could feel their hearts pounding against their chests. This was a total gamble, which could end in Shin loosing the Duel.

And thus, the spider slowed down, it's arrow being visible as it moved from number to number.

 **3**

 **4**

 **5**

 **6**

 **.**

 **.**

 **1**

It's arrow stopped on one, signaling that Shin's LP would be cut in half. That wasn't good, as TER's attack would still continue undeterred.

But then, a ding was heard from the roulette, as it's fields lit up. Looking up, Shin paled.

 **2**

In a daze, the spider unknowingly moved it's arrow to 2, right before the final decision was made. That meant something even worse for Shin.

"It seems your luck ran out on you Shinnie-boy" Pegasus grinned, as the roulette disappeared, TER's attack heading straight for Shin now. "Thousand Eyes Restrict's attack becomes a direct one!" he stated, everyone's eyes widening in shock.

"No!" Asuka exclaimed from the stands, her and the others watching helplessly as the wave of dark magic reached Shin, creating a massive explosion right in Shin's face.

 **Shin: 3700 → 400 LP**

As the smoke cleared, Asuka's eyes widen in shock.

On the edge of the Duel field, Shin laid motionless, his right arm dangling over the side. He gave no sign of consciousness, simply lying on the field. Immediately, Asuka paled, fearing the worst.

Thousand Eyes Restrict's attack had rendered Shin unconscious.

The audience watched in silence, as the smoke cleared completely, waiting for Shin to stand back up. However, it didn't happen.

"You guys, why isn't Shin standing up already?" Sho asked confused. Himself, Judai and Misawa were expecting Shin to stand right back up, knowing how full of energy he usually was. However, Misawa did notice that something was off with Shin, having noticed how his body would occasionally sway.

"No no no..." Asuka mumbled, panic clear on her face. If Shin didn't get up, he would loose the duel by default, meaning he would be expelled.

Back in the Kaiba Corp tower, things weren't looking any better.

"Oh no..." Anzu mumbled, her hand covering her mouth.

As soon as the attack landed, everyone's eyes widened. Seto was still keeping his poker face, however everyone else had worry clear on their faces. Anzu was the most concerned, seeing someone she considered a little brother lay unconscious on the ground. Kisara was also quite concerned for Shin, as he was someone she held dear.

Mokuba was trying to keep his own poker face like his brother, however he was clearly worried as well.

Jonouchi and Yugi knew Shin very well, so they held faith that he would stand back up, however as time passed, without Shin giving any sign of coming to any time soon, they too became worried.

"I don't want to be that guy...but I don't think Shin is standing back up any time soon" Mokuba broke the silence. "Not after a direct attack like that..."

"Hey, don't you go giving up just like that!" Jonouchi exclaimed, slamming his hand on the coffee table in front of the couch. "Until the duel officially ends, then there's still a chance he'll wake up to finish the duel!"

"But how can you be so certain?" Kisara asked, doubting the blondes words.

"Because I was in that same situation years ago" the blonde stated, those present during Battle City knowing what he was talking about. "As long as he has something to keep him going, then I **know** he'll get back up!"

"And you're sure he has something to keep him going?" Mokuba asked, as Jonouchi grinned.

"His friends of course!" he answered immediately. "This whole ordeal is for them after all! He won't let them down, no matter what!"

"I really do wonder about that..." Mokuba mumbled, as everyone focused back on the screen, seeing Chronos appear on the Duel Field.

As they saw Chronos and Pegasus talking about something, Shin remaining motionless all the while, Seto and Yugi had a joint thought.

'' _Come on Shin...Get up!''_

Back on the Duel Field, Chronos had emerged form the teachers booth. As Shin hadn't given any sign of being conscious for a while, it was his job to come down, check that Shin really was unable to continue, and declare a winner.

On the duel field, the holograms disappeared as Chronos crouched next to Shin, and tried shaking him. Nothing came out of it, so he stood back up.

"Signore Shin seems unable to continue the Duel" he began, Shin's friends paling slightly, while the general audience was left silent. "Not being able to continue the duel, means a loss by default. The winner is-"

"Hold on." Pegasus spoke up, before Chronos could finish his sentence, and officially end the duel. Chronos glance back curiously, as Pegasus crossed his arms. "Give him two minutes. If he doesn't manage to wake up by then, then you declare a winner" he stated, making Chronos raise an eyebrow.

"Are you certain that is what you wish to do, Mister Pegasus?" he questioned, as Pegasus nodded his head without hesitation. "Then so be it. Signore Shin will be given two minutes to stand back and continue the duel. If not, he shall lose the duel by default."

Chronos then left the stage, returning to the teachers booth, where he started a timer, set for two minutes.

Up in the stands, Shin's friends breathed in slight relief. Now they had a chance to help Shin wake up, so he wouldn't be expelled. And immediately, Judai leaned over the railings, calling out to Shin.

"C'mon Shin! You gotta get up already!" he called, hoping it would somehow help the unconscious boy. It didn't really help, as Shin still remained motionless.

" _1 and a half minutes remaining"_ Chronos' voice resounded over the intercom, making the sense of dread return to Shin's friends.

However, back on the field, one of Shin's fingers twitched. Then, his left eye opened slightly.

' _That voice...Judai..?'_ Shin thought, faintly hearing Judai's call, as his consciousness began returning.

"You have to get up Shin-kun! You'll lose the duel otherwise!"

' _Sho…?'_ after Judai, came Sho's voice. Hearing it, Shin was confused as to why he would lose the duel. But then, the gears began working again.

Remembering where he was, Shin's consciousness returned fully. He heard Judai and Sho call out to him a few more times, with Misawa joining in as well, all three telling him to get back up. There was only one problem.

' _My body...won't move…!'_ Shin cursed, trying his hardest to move his body. However, it had no effect, his limbs feeling as if there were heavy weights on them. His body was just too tired by now.

" _Less than a minute remaining"_ Shin heard Chronos' voice, confusing him.

' _A minute? Why?'_ he questioned in his mind. He then heard Judai's voice once more, telling him he needed to wake up. Then, he started drawing the dots. _'I see...so I have a minute to get back up huh...Well, shit..'_ he laughed in his mind, knowing his body wouldn't move anymore. But then, another voice joined the boys, calling out to Shin.

"Shin-kun!" Asuka's voice suddenly resounded. "I know you can hear me! You can't give up on us now! You came way too far to the finish line, to lose now! I believe in you, so get up and win this!"

Everyone else's encouragement seemed pretty futile. However, something about Asuka calling out to him, made a sudden spark of energy throughout his body. Enough to actually feel his hand move. It was slow, but he managed to bring it in a position where he could push himself up.

' _Come on...get up!'_ he exclaimed in his mind, trying to push himself off the floor, before the minute ended. Which was an even more desperate race, as Chronos' voice came through the intercom again.

" _30 seconds remaining."_

' _Shit...well, looks like that's it for me…_ ' Shin thought, resigning to his fate as his arm lost all it's strength again. _'Sorry Sho…looks like fate just wants you guys'_ he chuckled lightly. _'Looks like we won't see each other for a while to come guys...Gonna miss you all...'_

.

.

' _ **You can't be serious Shin'**_ suddenly, a female voice resounded in Shin's head, making his eyes open wide, as his left pupil turned red. _**'My little boy is no quitter, so get up and win!'**_

"I'm not done just yet…!" Shin said, suddenly finding himself back on his feet. Looking back up, he now had a determined expression on his face, heterochromia appearing in his eyes.

' _With 5 seconds remaining...Well done Signore Shin, if a little close'_ Chronos said over the intercom.

"Yeah, that's it Shin! Now get back there and win the duel!" Shin heard Judai exclaimed, followed by all of his friends, cheering for him. Glancing over, Shin saw his friends waving happily, the other three all having relieved expressions on their faces.

"My, you actually had me going there for a second~" Shin heard Pegasus chuckle. "Not just me, but your friends too. Don't you know it's not nice to play such pranks on people~?"

"I wasn't playing any pranks" the boy stated, a smile appearing on his face. "If it wasn't for my friends calling out to me, I would've lost by default."

"Yes, it certainly looked like that was going to happen" Pegasus noted, before readying his Duel Disk once more. "Now that you're back up and running, shall we resume the duel?"

Shin smirked, readying his own Duel Disk, as the holograms appeared on the field once more, the final duel resuming from where it was left off.

 **Pegasus: 1400 LP**

 **Shin: 400 LP**

" **Shin-sama, you had all of us worried"** Silent Magician noted, Shin chuckling slightly.

"I'm sorry for that Silent Magician. But now that I'm myself again, this duel is as good as won" he stated confidently. His statement however, made Silent Magician raise an eyebrow, glancing curiously at her Master

"It's all well and good that you're back Shinnie-boy, but it won't change the outcome of this duel. I still have one card left to play, after all~" Pegasus called, inserting his final card in his Duel Disk. "Activate, Smashing Ground!"

The ground under Silent Magician suddenly began cracking, as rays of white light erupted from it. She squeaked in surprise, before the ground shattered, the monster becoming enveloped in the white light, and bursting into pixels.

"If you felt the need to destroy Silent Magician, then that means I did something good" Shin remarked calmly, as the ground returned to normal, Silent Magician unfortunately going to the graveyard.

"Indeed~ Dealing with her at her full power would be too bothersome~ I hope you don't mind~" Pegasus smiled, which was returned by Shin, to everyone's surprise.

"Not at all~ Because I know she will be avenged next turn" he stated, his confidence never leaving him. The sudden change in demeanor, made Pegasus raise in eyebrow curiously.

"If that's the case, then I'm curious as to how you will do that. I end my turn~" Pegasus stated, allowing Shin to start his own turn.

 **TURN END: Pegasus 1400 LP**

"Then the final turn has started" Shin noted, placing his hand on his deck, ready to draw his next card.

' _I don't have any cards in my hand that can actually help right now...'_ Shin thought, glancing at the cards in his hand. _'Which means everything hangs on this next draw...I have to draw something that can help, NOW!'_ he declared strongly.

 ***GLOW***

Almost in tandem with his statement, his Millennium Item glowed softly, as well as the top card of his deck. And with a strong resolve, Shin drew that glowing card, releasing a gust of wind through the arena.

As if feeling the different card, Shin glanced at it, it's glow dispersing to reveal a card unfamiliar to Shin.

Curiously, he brought it close to his face as he read the cards description. And as he did, a smirk appeared on his face, his face displaying the expression of a winner.

"This duel is over, Pegasus!" Shin stated, inserting the card in his Duel Disk. "I activate the magic card, Eternal Rest!" he stated, as the card flipped up on the field. Interestingly enough, the students were left confused by the card Shin just played, none of them having ever heard of it.

"What?!" Pegasus however, was shocked to see the card. _'That card was never released! How does Shin have it?!'_ he panicked, as a sudden fog enveloped Thousand Eyes Restrict.

"Eternal Rest? What's that?" Judai asked confused, having never heard of the card until now. Looking to his left, he glanced at Misawa. "Do you know Number 2?"

"I...I don't actually" Misawa revealed, surprising the two Slifers. "I've never seen that card before..."

"Me either" Asuka noted, looking at the card with curiosity.

"Time to say goodbye to Thousand Eyes Restrict" Shin smirked, as multiple necklaces made of crystal beads suddenly wrapped around Pegasus' monster. And then, flames lit up around TER, before the creature itself burst into flames, turning into a mass of pixels soon after, surprising everyone watching.

"Eternal Rest has a very simple effect" Shin grinned, as Thousand Eyes Restrict got sent to Pegasus' GY, while DMG got sent to Shin's. "When this card is activated, all monsters that are equipped, are destroyed~" he explained, making the audience open their eyes wide, while Pegasus took a little step back

"Now, it's time to pay for stealing my partner, Pegasus!" Shin declared, inserting another card in his Duel Disk. "I activate, Monster Reincarnation! And discard Fusion Sage to add Dark Magician Girl to my hand!"

"But that's not all!" Shin then inserted two more cards in his Duel Disk, activating one of them. "I set one card, and activate Reload!" he stated, putting his Dark Magician Girl back into his deck, reshuffling and drawing one more card. "And now for the grand finale!"

As Shin activated his final facedown, a skeletal creature with a with it's body covered by a curtain appeared behind him, making the audience open their eyes wide.

"By paying half of my LP, I activate the Dark Magic Curtain!" Shin stated, as the creature grabbed it's curtains while the boy's LP dropped even further.

 **Shin: 400 → 200 LP**

"Return to my side Partner! I Special Summon, Dark Magician Girl!" on his command, the curtains were pulled apart by the skeleton.

As soon as the curtains opened, the form belonging to Shin's partner was revealed. And immediately, she sprang out form the curtains, landing next to Shin with a smirk.

 **Dark Magician Girl (2300/1700) -LV6-**

Twirling her wand in her hand, Dark Magician Girl didn't hesitate to point it toward Pegasus, beginning to charge up her attack without even having to hear the command from Shin. She generally didn't like it when Shin received damage, and the fact that Pegasus actually dared to use **her** for that purpose...Well it gave her more than enough reason to enjoy this next attack.

"This duel is over Pegasus! Dark Magician Girl, attack him directly! **Black Burning!** " he declared, as DMG smirked wide and raised her wand high in the air.

" **Hah!"** with a cry, she hurled the ball of dark magic at Pegasus, who simply closed his eyes with a small smile on his face.

The attack landed, and the ensuing explosion wiped all of Pegasus' remaining LP.

 **Pegasus: 1400 → 0 LP**

 **WINNER: Shin!**

[YEAAAHHH!] was the collective cheer of the students watching, as Pegasus' LP dropped all the way to zero, signaling Shin's win. Clearing the smoke surrounding him, Pegasus had a satisfied smile on his face.

As the holograms disappeared, DMG returning to her master's side in her spirit form, Samejima emerged from the teachers booth, making his way toward Shin.

"Well done Shin" the Principal congratulated, shaking Shin's hand. "As per the agreement, you get to keep your place here at the academy, and your friends no longer have to face expulsion" the man said, smiling warmly. "It has been a long time since I've seen such camaraderie. Truly well done!"

"Well, I couldn't just turn a blind eye" Shin stated, glancing back at his friends. "You two are up next! I held my end of the bargain, so now you two better win your duel, you hear me!" he called, looking directly at Sho and Judai.

"You don't have to worry about a thing Shin! We've got this in the bag!" Judai called back, a large grin plastered on his face. Hearing the response, Shin nodded his head, as Pegasus approached.

"I came here to see how much you've improved Shinnie-boy, and I can't say I'm disappointed~" Pegasus chuckled, extending a hand toward Shin. "Keep heading down this path and you'll take Yugi-boy's title in no time."

"That's what I was planning from the very beginning~" Shin grinned, grasping Pegasus' hand and shaking it.

As the two finished their handshake, Shin turned around and walked back, wanting to rejoin his friends.

' _And finally get some rest. At this rate, who knows when I'll drop next~'_ he thought, walking down the steps from the Duel Field. But as soon as his foot touched the ground, his left eyes reverted to the icy blue, all of his earlier stamina vanishing instantly.

 ***THUD***

"Shin-kun!" Asuka's worried shout was all Shin heard, before his mind faded back into unconsciousness.

 **And that's a wrap!**

 **Alright, we're finally done with Shin's Punishment~ I hope you all enjoyed these two duels~**

 **I'm not surprised everyone figured out who Shin's final opponent was, since it was pretty obvious~ And since Pegasus was such an important character, I dedicated most of this chapter to Shin's duel against him! I hope I didn't disappoint~**

 **And Pegasus wasn't the only special character who made an appearance in this chapter~ You can expect them to appear again soon~**

 **Not too much to say about this chapter really. With this chapter, Shin's mini Punishment-Arc concluded~**

 **A little question before I go.**

 **Since our boy just fainted again, he won't wake up for a little while yet. So what should happen now? Should I portray the outside happenings, or should I show what's happening inside? Also, who should Shin wake up to? **

**Who will be the first face that Shin sees when he wakes up? Leave your suggestions in the reviews~ If you want, also suggest how that wake up call would go. There's an obvious way, if the person Shin wakes up to is a girl, if you know what I mean~**

 **And on a final note:**

 **-Since some people suggested it, both in the reviews and the PM's, Shin will be getting the Dimension Dragons from Arc-V to his deck. It's obvious that he'll be getting Starve Venom, since this is GX, and Crystal Wing will join when we get into the 5D's timeline. However, I want to know if you guys want to see the other two dragons as well~ Odd Eyes would fit for reason you'll see in the future, and Dark Rebellion is one of my favorites, but I want to know your opinion as well, so leave that in the reviews as well~**

 **Now with all of that out of the way~**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, tell me what you thought of it in the reviews, as well as the other stuff and I'll see you all in the next chapter, whenever that will be out~**

 **Bye~**


	12. Chapter 11

**I know I haven't answered reviews in a while, and I apologize for it, but I didn't feel they needed an answer per say. This is no exception, so I won't comment on each review individually, and instead give a shared comment for all of them.**

 **Thank you all for reviewing, thank you for suggesting what should happen in this chapter and thank you for the continued support~ It always makes my day to see people enjoy my works~**

Chapter 11: A slow realization…

A simple blank space is all Shin saw, as he finally started coming to.

Strangely enough, Shin felt as if his body was floating. Trying to move, nothing happened. He tried to look around, but all he saw was white. Even his body wasn't visible, although he could still feel it.

" _ **That's it sweetie~"**_ a gentle voice echoed in the void, getting the young boys attention. He still couldn't see anything, but he heard the voice speak again. _**"Come on little man, you can do it~"**_

Suddenly, the blank space turned into an unfamiliar room.

The first thing Shin saw, was a baby. A baby, probably around a year old, wearing a light blue onesie. Taking a wild guess by the color of the onesie, Shin thought it was a baby boy, currently laying on his belly.

" _ **What are you even trying to do Kyoko?"**_ a male voice suddenly said, making Shin glance at the source.

Stood in front of the door to the room, were two people.

The first was a woman, wearing a sky blue cardigan over a plain T-Shirt, gray sweatpants and slippers. She was currently in a crouching position, holding out her arms toward the baby, seemingly calling him toward her.

However, her face was seemingly covered by her wavy blonde hair. Most of it anyways. Shin could still see the smile on her lips, as well as her flawless skin.

Behind her, stood a tall man with a lean build. His attire consisted of blue shirt, black slacks and shoes. He had short black hair which was slicked back, however his face wasn't recognizable.

That was due to the fact that it was blackened out. Shin was wondering why, but he still couldn't make much sense of the current situation, so he decided to just observe the interaction, only attributing the voices he heard to these two people.

" _ **I'm trying to make him take his first steps darling"**_ the woman's voice resounded, however Shin didn't see her mouth move at all. **_"He was trying to stand just as I came in here, and I'm not leaving until I see my baby at least wobble on those little legs!"_** the woman spoke, staring intently at her, apparent, baby.

" _ **Kyoko, he's hasn't even turned one year old..."**_ the man sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. **_"Even I couldn't walk when I was his age. I don't think he will-"_**

" _ **He's doing it, he's doing it, he's doin' it!"**_ the woman suddenly cut him off, chanting excitedly like a child. Shin's vision shifted back to the baby.

The baby was now on all fours, trying his best to push himself upright, all the while his little legs seemed to be just about to give out. And then, the baby managed to push himself on his feet, causing the woman to clap her hands happily.

" _ **That's it sweetie! Now come to mommy~!"**_ the woman cheered, extending her arms toward the baby once again.

The baby extended his own little hands, mumbling baby things, and began slowly stepping toward the woman, who by now seemed to radiate excitement.

But it didn't really last, as the baby stumbled after a few steps and fell face first on the floor, almost immediately beginning to cry. Of course, the woman, quick as a lightning, picked the baby up and cradled him in her arms.

" _ **Oh don't cry baby~"** _she said softly, almost immediately calming the baby down. _**"Come on, let's go get your rubber duckies ready for the bath, how about that~?"** _the baby released a little laugh, something the woman took as a 'yes', and swiftly made her way out of the room.

The man was left alone, scratching his head in confusion.

And that's where the tape seemed to end, as Shin's vision turned black. The boy having one final thought, before slipping into unconsciousness once more.

' _What was that…?'_

In the real world, Shin was once again inside the infirmary, soundly asleep on one of the beds. He has been in that place for a little over two days now.

Two days since his duel against Pegasus, and over 48 hours that he has been asleep for. As soon as he collapsed after the duel, he was brought to the infirmary so Emi could check on his condition.

There was a debate over what should actually be done in this situation, as to whether he should stay on the island, or be brought to the main land, but a call from a certain CEO made Samejima keep Shin on the island under Emi's supervision, the option of sending Shin to the main land only available should his condition suddenly worsen.

However, although Shin was under Emi's supervision, there was one person who was in his room almost as much as the nurse.

Sitting on a chair placed next to Shin's bed, was none other than Obelisk's top female student, Asuka Tenjoin. And she was currently following Shin's example, sleeping on the side of his bed.

Though she wasn't alone.

A little further away, were Shin's three male friends in the form of Judai, Misawa and Sho, all asleep on some chairs. Well, Misawa and Sho were, as Judai was sleeping on the floor, his feet being the only thing on the chair.

These four have been in Shin's room ever since he collapsed, with Asuka being the only one to actually spend the night with him, Emi only allowing it because she saw something between the two even they didn't see yet. As for the other three, they came around in the early morning, and probably fell asleep waiting for Asuka or Shin to wake up.

Ryou dropped by once, to see if Shin was alright, but didn't stay long as Judai challenged him to duel almost immediately. They agreed to duel later today by the cliffside, since Chronos would most definitely not allow an official duel.

Not to mention Ryou and Asuka didn't want to give Chronos another reason to pick on Judai, especially with Shin out of commission.

In the silence filled room, the sound of the door sliding open was heard, as Emi stepped inside.

She glanced at the sleeping teens, a little smile forming on her face. But, since she was here now, she needed to wake them up in order to get ready for classes.

Placing her clipboard on her desk, she clapped her hands loudly, snapping Sho and Misawa awake, while Judai was snoring away on the floor, and Asuka didn't give any sign of waking up either.

"-Huh…?" Misawa mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Looking around, he saw Sho doing the same, the other three sleeping and Emi looking at them from her desk.

"It's almost time for you kids to go class" Emi said, going over to Asuka and beginning to shake her slightly. The girl finally seemed to stir awake, slowly opening her eyes soon after. Raising her body, her first reaction was to glance at Shin's face, hoping he was awake. But her face dropped upon seeing nothing has changed yet. Emi noticed Asuka's face and gave her shoulder a light squeeze.

"I get that you're worried for him Asuka-san, but he'll be just fine I promise" she reassured. "Now it's time you kids get ready for class" she said, glancing at every students bar Shin. Sho just managed to wake Judai up, so he heard it as well. "If it were after me, I'd let you stay here with your friend, but I'm not the one making the rules."

"Man...I don't wanna go to class" Judai mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

"I don't really want to either but I don't want to deal with detention for skipping either" Sho answered, stretching his arms a bit.

"Don't you two already have detention for sleeping in class?" Misawa asked, causing both Judai and Sho to sweatdrop. "You two really are something else..." he sighed, standing up and heading toward the door. "See you all in class" he called, taking one last glance at Shin, before leaving the room.

Judai and Sho were about to follow, until Judai glanced at Asuka who was still looking at Shin.

"He'll be fine Asuka" he said, making her glace at him. "I don't know when, but I have a feeling he'll wake up soon."

Asuka didn't say anything, but glanced at the dual haired boy once more. She then stood up and wordlessly left the room.

The people left in the room looked at the door in silence.

"She really hasn't been herself since Shin-kun fell unconscious" Emi mumbled, making the boys look at her. "She barely talked with anyone for the past two days, and when she isn't here she's cooped up in her room..."

"I really hope Shin would just wake up already" Judai said, glancing at the sleeping boy. "He's probably the reason Asuka's like this. It's really weird seeing her like this..."

"Maybe his cards know something?" Sho suggested, referring to Shin's Duel Spirits. While not one to actually believe in this stuff, after Shin made the Dark Magician Girl seemingly become real through the mirror a couple days ago, he's changed his mind a little.

"His spirits huh…?" Judai mumbled, looking at Shin's two decks and duel disk, placed on the nightstand next to his bed. He then shook his head. "Haven't heard any of them at all. Anyway, let's go Sho. I don't want Chronos on my case again" Judai said, before hurrying out of the door, followed by Sho.

Left alone, Emi looked at Shin, raising an eyebrow.

' _Wonder what those two were talking about...'_ she thought, deciding to ignore it for the moment, seating herself at her desk. She then began checking through some other papers on her desk.

" _Ughh.."_ Shin groaned, having come to once more. Opening his eyes, he was greeted by a somewhat familiar marble ceiling. Raising his body, he was surprised to see the big hall he was currently in, as well as the velvet red bed he was sleeping on.

Getting out of bed, he looked around, seeing no one else present.

" _This...is the Duel Spirit Realm isn't it?"_ he asked himself while looking at the various decoration inside the hall.

Walking out, he entered a garden of sorts, a fence made from hedges outlining said garden. As he walked about, he heard voices coming from over the fence.

" _Mana, I keep telling you. Shin will be fine. So please stop pacing around so much. You're actually beginning to make me dizzy"_ Shin heard the voice belonging to Dark Magician say, followed by the unmistakable voice of Dark Magician Girl.

" _How can I be calm, Master?! He's been unconscious for two days, and I can't get him to wake up no matter what I try! It's like something is keeping him unconscious!"_ she exclaimed.

" _Of course you would think that my student"_ Dark Magician said. By now, Shin had managed to find the gate leading to where the two were conversing, deciding to hide behind it for the time being. _"Shin will be just fine. The reason you couldn't reach him is because he was inside his own mindscape."_

" _His mindscape?"_ DMG asked confused. _"Why would he be there? And why for so long?"_

" _There are a lot of reasons for that. But-"_ the magician spoke, only to stop abruptly, immediately glancing at the gate Shin was standing behind. Letting a smile form on his face, he spoke again. _"Why don't you come out? Dark Magician Girl needs the peace of mind"_ he said, making Dark Magician Girl tilt her head to the side, before glancing back.

" _Well, looks like my surprise is ruined~"_ Shin said, stepping through the gate while rubbing the back of his head. _"I thought I could scare you guys but I guess- guh?!"_ he didn't even get to finish, before a blur of blonde and blue smashed against him, sending him on the ground.

" _I was worried out of my mind for the past two days while you were unconscious! You've scared me enough you idiot!"_ Dark Magician Girl yelled, clinging desperately to Shin's torso, small tears in her eyes. Seeing this, Shin gained a big sweatdrop on his face.

" _A-Ah..I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you like that..."_ he apologized sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

" _Of course you didn't..."_ she mumbled, placing her head on his chest. Hearing her sad tone, Shin began stroking her hair. The two remained in this position for a while, Dark Magician watching from a little further away.

A few minutes later, Dark Magician released a little sigh before talking once more.

" _I understand that you missed him Mana, but can you continue this in the bedroom? I'm fairly certain we have other things to attend to"_ he said, hiding a smirk as Dark Magician Girl quickly got back to her feet.

" _Master!"_ she exclaimed, her face burning red from embarrassment, causing the Dark Magician to chuckle lightly.

" _I certainly enjoy it when the tables are turned~"_ Shin giggled from the ground, quickly shutting up as his Partner looked down on him with a glint in her eyes.

" _Oh you better enjoy it, Shi-chan..."_ she smirked _"Because you'll be too busy for it when we get back~"_ the she licked her lips made Shin gulp, a little sweatdrop appearing on his face.

Of course, Dark Magician clearing his throat loudly snapped their attention back to him.

" _Now if you two can keep it in your pants for a few minutes"_ he began, the two partners blushing beet red in response. _"Shin, what's the last thing you remember before fainting?"_

" _U-Uhh..."_ Shin stammered a bit, trying to remember. _"I...I got hit by TER's direct attack, right? After that everything is just a big blank"_ he explained, surprising the two magicians. However, Shin suddenly opened his eyes wide. _"Wait a second! The duel! Did I get disqualified?! Did I lose?! Did-"_

" _Calm down Shin."_ Dark Magician's simple command stopped Shin's panicked state. _"You don't have to worry about the duel. You won"_ he said, causing Shin to look at him surprised.

" _Wait, I won? But how?"_ the boy asked.

" _You really don't remember?"_ Dark Magician Girl questioned, making Shin shake his head. She then glanced at Dark Magician, who seemed to contemplate something.

" _Okay, I'm obviously out of the loop here"_ Shin said, looking at the two in front of him. _"Can someone fill me in?"_

" _I think you'll learn in due time, Shin"_ Dark Magician said, making Shin even more confused. _"It may have been your other self taking over, or it could have been something else entirely, but bottom line is that you stood up, and finished the duel."_

" _Really…?"_ Shin mumbled to himself, shaking his head slightly. _"Well, at least I managed to win the duel somehow, so I won't be expelled~ And hey, now Judai and Sho won't have to face expulsion either so that's-"_

"" _Shin-sama/Master!""_

 ***CRASH* *THUD***

Shin was interrupted by two female voices and before he could even turn his head in the direction of said voices, he was tackled off his feet, landing on the ground with a thud.

" _We were so worried about you Master!"_ Eatos exclaimed, her and Silent Magician LV8 clinging to Shin's torso for dear life. Once again, Shin gained a considerable sweatdrop on his face.

" _She's right! Just collapsing out of the blue like that and then being unconscious for two whole days...we thought you'd never wake up!"_ Silent Magician added, small tears visible in her eyes.

' _I'm starting to see a pattern here...'_ Shin thought awkwardly, feeling the two spirits tighten their hold on him. _'Please don't tell me these two are following in Mana's footsteps...It's not like I wouldn't mind, but I appreciate a real girlfriend too...not to mention I don't think I could handle this kind of thing...a harem, I think it's called...'_ he sweatdropped, patting the two on the head, which was a little awkward as both were wearing pretty big hats, Silent Magician having her regular hat and Eatos wearing her eagle-head.

" _Alright you two, that's enough!"_ Dark Magician Girl exclaimed, pulling the two off of Shin, surprising the boy with her strength. _"Shi-chan just woke up so don't go smashing into him like that!"_ she reprimanded, making the two spirits gain a little sweatdrop.

" _You did the exact same thing not even 10 minutes ago, Mana"_ Dark Magician deadpanned, making Dark Magician Girl blush in embarrassment, while Shin chuckled soundlessly.

" _T-That's different!"_ she exclaimed, making Dark Magician chuckle, while the other three sat down next to each other, watching the two magicians go back and forth.

" _Different? Oh, please elaborate my dear student"_ Dark Magician smirked lightly, making his student blush more.

" _Y-You already know why!"_ she answered, before looking back at the boy. _"I'm the only spirit girlfriend you need Shi-chan!"_

" _Shin isn't a spirit like us, Mana"_ Dark Magician sighed. _"Shin is a human. That means he'll also need a human lover."_

" _I can make a real body though"_ the female magician said, making her teacher shake his head.

" _That may be, however it only lasts for so long. What if you two have an offspring?"_ he said, causing both Shin and Dark Magician Girl to do a spit take, their faces turning red as tomatoes. Nevertheless, Dark Magician continued. _"You'd need to maintain a real body 24/7, while also nurturing the growing baby. I'm afraid such a thing is simply impossible."_

" _M-Master! Why do you always embarrass me like that?! How did it even come to b-b-babies?! I never said anything about that!"_ the blonde magician shrieked, steam seemingly coming out of her ears.

" _Well, Dark Magician is right about one thing. Master will still need to find a human girlfriend"_ Eatos said, throwing in her two cents. At this point, Shin spoke up.

" _Okay, how did this turn into my getting a girlfriend?!"_ the boy exclaimed, his face still red. _"Maybe I don't even want to get a girlfriend! Maybe..M-Maybe I like boys, ever thought about that?!"_ his question, made everyone look at him weirdly, causing him to sweatdrop and regret his choice of words.

" _Y-You...really?"_ Dark Magician Girl was...pretty speechless, to say the least. But then, a look of realization crossed her face. _"Well, now that I think about it...You are surrounded by hot girls and I've yet to see any reaction...You're definitely of the right age...And you **do** seem to care a whole lot about that Judai fellow...Do you really swing that way?!" _she exclaimed shocked.

" _No, I don't actually swing that way dammit! That was a joke!"_ Shin answered immediately, his face back to blushing beet red.

" _Oh...well you could've certainly fooled me~"_ his partner giggled, sticking her tongue out at Shin. Shin crossed his arms and begun grumbling to himself, so with a smirk, DMG quickly appeared behind him and draped her arms over his shoulders. _"Oh don't pout like that Shi-chan~"_ she then leaned in his ear, the boy feeling her hot breath. _"You can show me just how straight you are when we're alone~"_ she whispered, Shin feeling a shiver going down his spine.

" _N-No thanks..."_ he answered, looking at his partner cautiously, making her pout.

" _Course you wouldn't...Bet you wouldn't mind showing that Asuka girl though..."_ she mumbled, making Shin do a double take, his face lighting up like Rudolph's nose.

" _I-I don't l-like Asuka-chan like that!"_ he said, though his stutter was a dead giveaway that he thought something else deep down. _"S-She's just a good friend!"_

" _A friend you went through a great deal of troubles for"_ Dark Magician quipped from the side, making Shin blush a little darker.

" _W-well...that's what friends are for.."_ he mumbled, as Dark Magician Girl smirked knowingly.

" _Well, whether you realize it yet or not, you two are a little closer than 'just friends'~"_ she sang, before an idea popped in her mind. _"Now that I think about it, I wouldn't really mind if you two get together. She's certainly rocking it in all the right places, if you know what I mean~"_ she giggled perversely, making Shin look at her with a deadpan look.

" _And you were talking about me?"_ he said, making DMG stuck her tongue out childishly.

" _I'm bicurious~"_ she answered simply, making Shin raise an eyebrow. But he ignored it, having known Dark Magician Girl for far too long to question it at this point.

" _Anyway..."_ the boy began, looking back up. _"Does anyone know why I'm actually here?"_ he asked the most important question, making the girls finally realize that a human was in the Duel Spirit Realm.

" _Ah yes, the reason you were brought here"_ Dark Magician noted, bringing the attention to him. _"You see, you have a mission Shin."_

" _A mission…?"_ Shin questioned confused. Dark Magician simply pointed upward. Shin looked up, only for his eyes to widen.

Up in the sky, a dark vortex was beginning to form, turning the clear blue sky into a mix a blue and purple. The most curious fact, were the ominous whisks of energy extending from the vortex across the sky.

" _What...is that?"_ he mumbled, looking at the different colored whisks, snaking their way around in the sky.

" _A darkness that is slowly creeping into our world"_ Dark Magician Girl answered. _"Do you remember Doma?"_ she questioned, Shin immediately perking up.

" _Doma? You mean Dartz?"_ he asked, receiving a nod from his partner. Then, he opened his eyes wide. _"Then, does that mean that thing in the sky is the Leviathan again?!"_

" _Fortunately, no"_ Dark Magician was quick to put Shin's worries to rest. However, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. _"However, it doesn't mean that this threat is that much better. There's still some time before the Beasts are revived, which means there's still a chance to prevent it."_

" _Hold on...Beasts? What Beasts?"_ he asked, his partner answering once again.

" _There are three monsters that were sealed away in the past, due to their dark power. A power that's fueled by stealing **our** power. If the Beasts are reborn, they will just keep sapping our power until we have nothing left. And when that happens, you can be that what happened with the Leviathan will happen again. Same outcome, different harbingers" _Dark Magician Girl said seriously.

" _And how do I stop it?"_ Shin answered in the same tone. To his surprise however, his Partner shook her head.

" _This task isn't just yours Shi-chan"_ she said, raising seven fingers up. _"The beasts were sealed behind seven gates, which means that there need to be six other people alongside you. Well, if a Gate chooses you in the first place."_ at this, Shin began scratching his head.

" _Then what **is** my 'mission'?"_ he asked.

In response to his question, Dark Magician stood up from the chair he had been sitting in the entire time, and went over to a little pond Shin just noticed. He then motioned the boy over.

Once Shin was standing next to the magician, he waved his hand over the water, creating a ripple in it. And soon, three stone tablets appeared instead of their reflections. Shin tired to make out the images carved on the tablets, but he soon realized he knew no monster that fit the bill. However, the duel spirits knew full well what these monsters were.

" _These, are the Wicked Gods"_ Dark Magician stated, making Shin's eyes open wide.

" _Wicked...Gods? 'Gods' as in, the Egyptian Gods?"_ he asked, receiving a nod in return.

" _Indeed. While the Egyptian Gods are the protectors of our world, the Wicked Gods seek to destroy both our world, as well as your world"_ the magician said, as the reflection switched from showing stone tablets, to showing six shadows, three of which were unknown to Shin. However the other three…

" _Aren't those...the Egyptian Gods?"_ the boy asked, upon seeing the familiar shapes facing off against the three unknowns.

" _The Wicked Gods were originally planned to be counter measures, for keeping the Egyptian Gods' power in check. However, Pegasus soon came to realize that it was pointless, and stopped their production"_ Dark Magician said, as the reflection changed once again, this time showing the supposed 'Wicked Gods' standing in dark flames. _"However, the Wicked Gods had already awakened, but since their cards were never created, they remained sealed deep within the Realm of Darkness, which the Millennium Items are connected to."_

" _And what am I supposed to do?"_ Shin asked, as the images in the water disappeared, being replaced by their normal reflections.

" _Prepare."_ was Dark Magician's simple answer, confusing Shin.

" _Prepare? For what?"_ he asked, as Dark Magician glanced at him seriously.

" _For the arrival of the Wicked Gods"_ he said, making Shin's eyes widen in surprise. _"I don't know all the details, but someone must've finished the creation of the Wicked God cards. Now, the Gods have left the Realm they were once sealed in. And now that they have someone who possesses the cards, they will go after what created them."_ he pointed at Shin. Specifically… _"Your Millennium Item."_

 _[What?!]_ Shin, along with all three of his Duel Spirits exclaimed in shock. Dark Magician simply nodded his head.

" _You possessing the Millennium Pendant makes you their target Shin. I don't know when, but you will face off against these monsters."_

Shin was silent, looking at his Millennium Item, as a bead of sweat rolled down his face. It never usually happened before, but as of late, everything concerning Shin has begun becoming really serious. And now to be told that the evil versions of the Egyptian Gods were coming after him, really put him on the edge.

As if sensing the boy's turmoil, Dark Magician placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it reassuring squeeze.

" _You shouldn't start worrying as of yet"_ he said, making Shin look back at him. _"The Wicked Gods still need time to recover their power, from being sealed away for so long. So chances are, they won't show up for a while to come. Besides, strong as these gods may be, as long as you have your friends there to help you, you'll be fine. Trust me."_

While not completely relieved, it did make Shin's racing heart calm down for a bit. He still had some time, before he needed to worry about these Wicked Gods, which meant he could finally spend some time relaxing with his friends, before things got serious again.

" _Well, if that's the case, then I guess I can chill for a while"_ Shin chuckled slightly. _"Alright, but now I want to hear some more about these 'Beasts'."_

" _I'm certain you'll learn all the detail in due time, Shin"_ Dark Magician said, returning to his seat once again.

" _Okay...then, was that all?"_ Shin questioned, receiving a simple nod from the master magician. _"Alright...now, how do I leave?"_ he asked, looking around. His female spirits looked at each other, before Dark Magician Girl raised a finger.

" _Do you feel any different right now Shi-chan?"_ she asked, as Shin looked at himself. He then shook his head slightly. _"Nothing different huh? Hmm, then try to imagine waking up from a dream."_

" _Wait what? Why?"_ the boy asked confused.

" _Well, you collapsed after your duel with Pegasus. You've been unconscious in the real world for about two days now, and since you're here, I'm guessing your conscious is finally starting to come back. So try to 'wake up' and maybe you'll finally wake up in the real world~"_

" _How do I 'wake up', while being awake?"_ Shin asked.

" _I dunno just...Uhh, Master?"_ Dark Magician Girl turned to her master, who raised a single finger.

" _Imagine you're having a bad dream. You don't know it's a dream, and yet to know when to wake up. Or just think of something in the real world, and focus on it. Focus on wanting to see that something, while having the thought of waking up in the back of your mind, and when you open your eyes again, you should be back in the real world. Go ahead, try it"_ the magician instructed.

Nodding his head slightly, Shin took a step away from his partner and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he began thinking of things back in the real world. Although the list was kinda short, as he didn't really have anything besides the things he had back at the academy.

Though as he focused on picking something to focus on, he began hearing a familiar voice. It was slightly muffled however, so he tried to focus more on the voice, which gradually became louder and clearer.

And suddenly, light filled his vision.

Inside Chronos' class, Judai and Sho were trying their best to keep from falling asleep as usual, while Misawa was paying full attention to the teacher. However, in the Obelisk stand, Asuka was still out of it, simply staring into the distance.

Her Obelisk friends tried to snap her out of it, in order to understand why she was so unreceptive, but she simply brushed them off.

"Asuka-san has been really out of it for the past few days..." an Obelisk girl mumbled, getting the attention of one of her friends.

"Of course she has. Didn't you hear? She's been spending her time in the infirmary ever since that kid Shin collapsed after his duel" her friend whispered, confusing the first girl.

"What does that have to do with Asuka-san being like this?" girl#1

"Hello? She's been spending almost **all** her time there. Ayukawa-sensei said she even slept there once." girl#2

"Really?" girl#1 whispered surprised. "She must really care about him, huh?"

"Obviously. Haven't you seen how close they are? She hangs out with him more than she does with Kaiser Ryo, and that's saying something" girl#2

"Do you think...they're hiding something?" girl#1

"Well, I saw the two all alone on the beach last week. And they left while holding hands, so maybe..." girl#2 said, glancing at Asuka, who was oblivious to the conversation happening right behind her.

A little further away, sat Manjoume who heard the discussion, and was currently clenching his fist tightly.

' _Lies!'_ he exclaimed in his mind. _'I refuse to believe Tenjoin-kun cares so much about someone like him!'_

' _I spent months trying to make Tenjoin-kun fall for me, and now this **kid** comes in and she's immediately all over him?! This doesn't make any sense! Why would she even care so much about him? It's only been two weeks, not to mention he's an obvious trouble maker! So why? Why does she prefer his company over mine?!'_ he raged, glancing at Asuka, only to grit his teeth in frustration, upon noticing the melancholic expression on Asuka's face.

' _Grr...that's it!'_ Manjoume thought, as a last ditch method to make Asuka fall for him popped in his mind. _'As soon as that punk is back on his feet, I'll challenge him to a duel! It will be payback time for all the things he's done to both Torimaki and Mototani, and I'll finally impress Tenjoin-kun by showing her I'm better than him!'_

As he was thinking that, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. It also snapped the two Slifer boys awake, as they failed in keeping awake during Chronos' boring lecture.

Almost as soon as the bell rang, Asuka stood up from her seat, and began descending the stairs, making people raise an eyebrow at the hurry in her step.

"Asuka wait!" Judai called after the blonde, causing her to stop and glance back at him. "Heading to the Infirmary again?" he asked, to which Asuka gave a short nod.

"Are you coming too?" she asked simply.

"Oh hey you can still talk~" Judai grinned, rubbing the back of his head, which he then shook. "I'll leave Shin to you. I need to get to the cliff for...you know" he said, glancing at Chronos who was too busy packing his stuff.

Asuka nodded her head once more, and swiftly made her way out of the room.

"Are you sure you want to do this Judai?" Misawa asked, approaching the two Slifers. "You may be talented but taking on the top student after just two weeks...well, you're definitely challenging someone way above your league" the black haired boy stated simply. However, Judai simply shrugged.

"Don't worry Misawa. I know what I'm doing" he said, giving Misawa a subtle wink, before turning to Sho, who fell asleep once more. "C'mon Sho wake up. We gotta get to the cliff" he said while dragging Sho from his seat and out the door.

Left alone, Misawa sighed. He then decided to head back to his the yellow dorm, letting Asuka take care of Shin. That, and he also wanted to see how Judai's duel went, seeing an opportunity to find any weakness in the Kaiser's deck.

Inside the Infirmary, Emi was busy checking Shin for any unwanted changes to his condition.

"Hmm, no fever so that's good..." she noted, placing her hand on his forehead. She then grabbed a stethoscope from her desk and placed it on his chest, listening carefully for a few moments.

"Everything sounds just fine." nodding her head, she placed the stethoscope back, sat down in her chair and began searching through the drawer of her desk. She then pulled out a bag of clear liquid, which she took to the IV stand next to Shin's bed.

Quickly changing the IV solution, she returned to her desk and began filling some papers from her clipboard. But as she did that, she suddenly heard the door slide open.

"Ah, Asuka-san" Emi greeted, seeing the Queen of Obelisk enter the infirmary. Said girl bowed her head slightly, before looking at the boy asleep behind the nurse.

"Still nothing?" she asked quietly, making Emi shake her head slowly.

"I'm afraid not, Asuka-san. No change whatsoever..." the nurse said, looking back at her papers.

Asuka's face dropped slightly, hearing there was still no change. Thus, she made her way over to his bed, and sat down on the same chair she's been sat on ever since Shin's been brought here.

"Why won't you wake up already Shin-kun..." Asuka mumbled, looking at Shin's peaceful face. Getting no response, she sighed silently, reaching over and brushing some of Shin's golden locks out of his eyes.

As Asuka was doing that, Emi gathered some of her papers, and stood up. She then turned to Asuka.

"Asuka-san, I need to go speak to the Principal. Could you keep an eye on Shin-kun while I'm gone?" she asked.

"Of course" Asuka nodded her head, releasing a silent breath. "Not like anything will change..." she mumbled sadly, making Emi furrow her eyebrows.

"Don't be so pessimistic about this Asuka-san. See the good side of things~" the nurse said, trying to cheer Asuka up. Said girl glanced back with a raised eyebrow.

"And what's that?" she questioned blankly.

"He's just unconscious. It it was a coma, then I'd understand the depression, but with this, he's bound to wake up soon. Even in extreme cases, one can only sleep for so long" Emi explained, looking at Shin. "Call it a nurses intuition, but I'm almost certain he'll open his eyes sooner than you think~" she smiled, before heading out the door, leaving Asuka alone with the sleeping Shin.

Left alone in silence, Asuka simply stayed near Shin, something about seeing his chest rise and fall making her feel some relief inside.

"Why did you have to go and duel like that Shin-kun…?" she mumbled, looking at Shin's face, the bags under his eyes having disappeared by now.

"For that matter, why do you even do half of the things you do?" she continued, gently stroking his face. "Always ready to go, no matter what. Why even go that far for Judai and Sho? True, there was no way to know they wouldn't be in any immediate danger...but you knew that when Pegasus asked you to postpone the duel..Why didn't you take it?" she asked.

Of course, she still didn't get any response. However, what she didn't know was that his finger twitched once she finished her question.

"Even back at the Abandoned Dorm...Why do you always jump in head first?"

"...Because sometimes there's no time to think.."

"-!" Asuka gasped as soon as she heard the familiar voice, answering her question. And of course, her eyes immediately landed back on Shin's face.

"Yo..." the boy greeted, looking at Asuka with a small smile. The girl opened her eyes wide, making Shin's smile grow a little bigger. "Did'ya miss me-"

 ***HUG***

He didn't even get to finish his question, as Asuka's arms wrapped themselves around his neck, taking him by surprise. The girl didn't say anything, but kept her arms around Shin, who gained a little sweatdrop.

"U-Uhh...Asuka-chan?" the boy asked weakly, looking at Asuka.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" the girl asked in a low tone, making Shin gulp a little.

"I...I think I can guess" the boy replied, sweatdropping further as Asuka tightened her grip on him.

"I've barely been able to get any sleep these past few days" she said, finally looking at Shin with a harsh gaze. "That's how worried I was."

"I-I'm sorry for worrying you then..." Shin replied, feeling Asuka's stare drill into his soul.

"I told you not to go to the Abandoned Dorm" she began, tightening her hold on Shin further, the boy feeling her hands begin to squeeze his neck. "I told you to rest before the Duel. I told you to stop diving into things head first. And what do you do?" Asuka questioned.

"Uhh...none of it..?" the dual haired teen guessed, feeling his airways slowly begin to close.

"Exactly." was Asuka's simple statement. "And what did you get from not doing anything of what I told you?" she asked again.

"H-Hospital…?" Shin managed to get out, as Asuka's hold was depriving him of oxygen.

"Luckily for you it's just the infirmary, but if you keep doing this you'll really end up in the hospital one day" she reprimanded, narrowing her eyes.

Shin gulped again, seeing Asuka's brown eyes pierce into him. Though at this point, gulping wasn't possible.

"I-I get it...A-And it will happen...s-soon..!" Shin rasped out, making Asuka raise an eyebrow.

"Why?" she asked, concern returning to her voice. And then she noticed Shin's face turning a light shade of blue, the boy beginning to tap her arm.

"Can't...breathee!" he wheezed, causing Asuka to quickly let him go and return to her seat, a small blush of embarrassment present on her face, all the while Shin took in deep breaths.

After oxygen returned to Shin's brain, the boy released a little chuckle, before looking back at Asuka.

"You certainly have an interesting way of showing affection Asuka-chan~" he smirked lightly, making Asuka's eye twitch a little. She then wordlessly reached behind her, pulling out something that made Shin pale slightly.

"I don't think you want to feel just how 'affectionate' I'm feeling right now, Shin-kun" she said, narrowing her eyes and brandishing her harisen.

"Y-You're right...I don't want too feel that affection" the boy said, trying to sink back into his pillow in order to get as far away from Asuka's mighty paper fan.

Asuka maintained her stare for a moment, before letting out a soft chuckle, putting the harisen back to wherever she got it from in the first place.

"Even after all of this your sense of humor is still the same...You're definitely alright~" she smiled a little, looking back a Shin with a much warmer gaze. Seeing the harisen was gone, Shin breathed in relief.

"Hey, you know what they say. A good sense of humor never dies~" Shin chuckled, raising his body, only to cringe upon doing so, causing Asuka to worry again.

"Shin-kun you can't move like that all of a sudden" she said, gently pressing Shin back down on the bed. "Your body didn't move for two days. You need to take it slow for a bit."

"Yeah you're right...I forgot this is what usually happens..." Shin mumbled, adjusting his pillow so he could at least lean against it. He then noticed the little tube going from his arm to the IV stand next to his bed. "Ah, the IV solution. Haven't seen you in a while" he said.

Asuka saw the tube as well, and remembered that she should tell Emi if anything happened with Shin. And him waking up was as important as it gets. However, before she could stand up, the two heard the door slide open.

"Alright Asuka-san I'm back~" Emi called, entering her room. However, her eyes widened upon seeing both Asuka **and** Shin look back at her. "Shin-kun, you're awake!" she exclaimed, quickly placing her clipboard on her desk and making her way over to Shin.

She then leaned in close to his face, and peered into his eyes, surprising Asuka and making Shin sweatdrop.

"Hmm...pupil dilatation looks just about right" she said, placing her hand on his forehead "No fever...Shin-kun, do you feel anything out of the ordinary?" she asked, taking a step back.

"Uhh...except a minor headache, then no. I don't feel any different" then boy answered, making Emi nod her head happily.

"A minor headache was to be expected~ It will be gone in a bit~" she said, picking up her clipboard again. Quickly looking through it, she nodded once more and looked back at Shin. "Alright, I know you said you don't feel any different, but I still need to make sure. It's check-up time~" Emi smiled, getting her clipboard ready.

As the sun began to set, Shin, Asuka and Emi exited the infirmary.

"Be sure to get proper rest once you get back Shin-kun" the nurse said, closing the door. "I'll go tell Principal Samejima you woke up, so expect to have a word with him tomorrow~"

"Am I gonna be in trouble?" The boy asked, Emi shaking her head with an amused smile.

"No, nothing like that. I'm certain he'll just want to see how you are. There's not everyday one of your students just collapses out of the blue, after all~"

"Y-Yeah, I guess you're right~" Shin chuckled, as he and Asuka turned to walk back to the yellow dorm. "Thank you for all your help Emi-san!" he called once more, before disappearing down the hallway.

Emi smiled a bit, before going on her own way toward Samejima's office.

"So, what did I miss while I was out?" Shin asked Asuka, as the two walked the lonely hallways.

"Well besides homework, not much" the girl answered simply. "I mean, beside Judai challenging Ryou to a duel" she said offhandedly, causing Shin to stop immediately. "Shin-kun, are you alright?" Asuka asked, seeing Shin stop so abruptly.

"Judai...is dueling Ryou?" Shin asked himself quietly, before looking at Asuka seriously. "When are they dueling?"

"U-Uhh...I think right it's already begun" she said, glancing at the clock in the hallway. She then glanced back at Shin. "Why are you -kyahh?!" she didn't get to finish her sentence though, as she felt herself getting dragged through the hallways at high speeds.

"Dammit, I'm taking a nap for two days and that Kuriboh steals my duel with Ryou! I wanna duel him too!" Shin exclaimed, running through the hallways while dragging poor Asuka behind him.

"You just woke up and you already want to duel?!" the girl shouted baffled, trying her damn best to keep up with Shin. _'How the hell is he running this fast?! He didn't move for two days straight!'_ she exclaimed in her mind.

"Dueling is in my blood Asuka-chan! You can't keep me away from it!" he replied, as the two made it into the courtyard, passing by dozens of students, leaving them with eyes wide as dinner plates.

One of those students, was Misawa. He was heading toward the infirmary, wanting to check up on Shin, only to have said boy pass him at top speeds, dragging Asuka behind him. And he was still trying to process that, like the other students present.

"Hey...wasn't that Shin? The guy that was unconscious for two days?" a Ra student asked.

"I think it was..." another mumbled, everyone alternating between looking at the school and in the direction Shin ran in.

"Do you even know where they're dueling?" Asuka asked, as the two teens kept running on the cliffside.

"I don't but I'm fairly certain that big mechanical dragon with three heads I see is the 'X' on the map!" Shin replied, pointing at the giant duel monster in front of them, the actual duel happening on the dock.

"That's Ryou's monster alright..." Asuka sweatdropped lightly, before feeling Shin pick up the pace, her legs beginning to tire.

Fortunately for her, they managed to reach to point on the cliff where they could look down on the duel. But from the looks of it, the duel was just about finished, something that slightly upset Shin, as he couldn't see what Ryou was capable of.

Nevertheless, Shin looked down to get a look at the field.

Judai was on the defensive with the Fusion monster, Elemental HERO Mudballman protecting his LP, while Ryou was all-out offensive with his Cyber End Dragon.

 **E-HERO Mudballman (1900/3000) -LV6-**

 **Cyber End Dragon (4000/2800) -LV10-**

"Now that Cyber End Dragon was successfully summoned, Power Bond doubles it's ATK points!" Ryou declared, as Cyber End's power rose ranks above the DEF of Judai's Mudballman.

 **Cyber End Dragon 4000 → 8000 ATK**

"8000 ATK..." Hayato mumbled, shocked at the monsters insane ATK.

"This duel is over Judai" Ryou stated, as his monster prepared to attack. "When Cyber End attacks a monster in DEF mode, whose DEF is lower than my monsters ATK, the difference is dealt to you as damage!" he declared.

"Just hang on Judai!" Hayato encouraged from the sidelines, Sho watching the duel quietly. "If you can last this turn, then Power Bonds effect will deal Cyber End's original ATK as damage to Ryou and you'll win!"

"So that's his actual ace-in-the-hole? Power Bond..." Shin mumbled, looking at Ryou's monster. "That's a really risky move"

"To some, but not against someone as experienced in using it as Ryou" Asuka noted, knowing full well how skilled Ryou was.

"Heh, you're telling **me** that, Asuka-chan" Shin chuckled lightly. "A simple De-Fusion is enough to negate Power Bond's effect, swarm your field with monsters **and** still win the duel. It's all in what cards you have in your hand" the boy explained, not taking his eyes off the duel at hand.

Asuka spared him a calculating look, before following his example and focusing back on the duel.

"Cyber End Dragon, attack Mudballman!" Ryou declared, as his monster charged an energy blast in all three of it's mouths. **"Eternal Evolution Burst!"**

Ryou's monster wasted no time in blasting Judai's monster to bits, as well as wiping all of his remaining LP.

 **Judai: 2500 → 0 LP**

 **WINNER: Ryou**

"Gh-!" Judai cringed, falling to his knees.

"Big Bro!" Sho exclaimed, immediately rushing toward Judai. The boy himself looking back at Ryou with a small smile.

"Heh..That was a pretty fun duel" he grinned, making a small smirk appear on Ryou's face as well.

He turned to leave, however, he glanced back and spared his little brother a glance, Sho now having a determined expression on his face. Before he could turn to actually leave, a voice called out from the top of the cliff.

"That really was an awesome duel!" the four heard a familiar voice, causing their eyes to widen and look up.

"It's a real shame I only got to see the end of it though~" Shin grinned, crossing his arms.

"Shin you're finally up!" Judai exclaimed happily, as Shin slid down the cliffside and unto the docks.

"You bet I am~" He grinned pointing at himself. "Ain't no way you're keeping me down for long~" he then looked at Ryou. "I feel cheated y'know. I thought we agreed we'd duel as soon as possible and the moment I'm out of commission, you duel the next guy. That really hurts, Ryou-chan~" the boy pouted childishly, causing Ryou to release a slight chuckle.

"I'm afraid I couldn't turn down this specific offer, Shin. I'm still open to your invitation, however" he smirked, reigniting the challenge.

"O-hoh, now we're talking!" Shin smirked in return, ready to duel Ryou right now. Fortunately, a certain blonde haired beauty was more than glad to act as Shin's conscience.

"I'm afraid there will be no such thing happening tonight young man!" Asuka exclaimed, appearing out of nowhere and pulling on Shin's ear, beginning to drag him back. "You just woke up after being unconscious for two days from dueling, and I certainly will **not** let you duel yourself back into that infirmary bed you hear me?!" she reprimanded him in a strict tone.

"Ow-ow-ow! Asuka-chan please stop pulling on my ear!" Shin whined, holding unto Asuka's arm as his ear turned red. "Seriously, you're gonna rip it!"

"Then I'll just sew it back on!" she replied coldly, not even sparing Shin a glance. "Now you will get in bed and get a proper rest, and I will put you in that bed myself if I have to!"

"This would've sounded **so** much better when used in any other context!" Shin exclaimed with tears in his eyes, before Asuka literally dragged him away, and back to his dorm.

Left alone, the four boys exchanged glances.

"I think we should all learn from Shin's example...and never anger Asuka again" Judai stated, earning a sincere nod from the other boys, all four sweatdropping upon hearing Shin's distant voice, who was unmistakeably crying.

"I've known Asuka for years...and this is the first time I've seen her like this with anyone other than her brother" Ryou mumbled, before shivering lightly. He then turned on his heel, and began heading back as well, leaving the Slifer students alone on the pier.

"Well...wanna go back to the dorm and work on your deck?" Judai asked Sho, breaking the silence. Said boy nodded his head happily.

"You bet! Shin-kun may have spared us expulsion but I sure don't want three months worth of extra homework!" he declared, making Judai burst out laughing.

"Ahaha, you're certainly right about that! I definitely don't want that either, so let's go" the brown haired boy said, as the three left the pier as well.

 **And that's a wrap!**

 **Phew, it's been a while huh~?**

 **Sorry for not updating for so long, but as I said last time, life has really kept me busy as of late. But the good news: I'm have the whole next week free, so I think I can write around 2 chapters~ Depends which story those chapters will be for..**

 **So picking up quite a while after we left of~ Two whole days..**

 **And, as suggested in the reviews I gave an inside look, as well as an outside look at what was happening~ Wonder what that thing Shin saw was all about…**

 **And then he wakes up in the spirit world, only to be give a new task! Preparing for the arrival of the Wicked Gods…**

 **Now some may be familiar with the Manga version of the cards, while other may only know the cards. Whether one or the other, everyone should be able to figure out that these bastards will cause all sorts of trouble. You will see what I'm talking about in the future, and how these Gods are tied into Shin's past…**

 **Hell, Shin himself will learn alongside you!**

 **Put putting all that aside for now, Shin and Asuka bonded a little more~**

 **I apologize if it was weak. I tried to make it as emotional as possible, but then I realized that Asuka still doesn't love Shin *that* much as of yet. But, expect all of that original emotion to come out in the future~ I won't give any spoilers yet~**

 **But, all in all, this chapter was a nice little filler to prepare the story for the next chapters~**

 **I don't have all that much to say for this chapter. Again, I apologize for not uploading and I'm sorry if this chapter came out weaker than you expected…**

 **I can only hope I didn't disappoint. So with that said**

 **Tell me what you thought of the chapter in the reviews, if you have a suggestion for future interactions, feel free to leave it there as well and until next chapter~**

 **Bye~**


	13. Chapter 12

**Ruby Rose: Glad to know you liked the chapter~ She may be, who knows… Story is continued~**

 **GHOST1986: Glad you think that~ It makes me really happy~**

 **Yusei: Thanks, and here's the next chapter~ Don't worry, there will be more ShinxAsuka moments in future chapters. And unfortunately, they're not finished as of yet, but I'm getting there~**

 **Weeb the Sheep: I'll forgive you, because I believe people deserve second chances. Since you're here, and wrote all of that, I would be a dick if I didn't give you the second chance you deserve. Thus, your main account is allowed to review again~ I hope you'll use this second chance to give a proper review from now on~**

 **Tobias: Thanks~**

 **Noah: I thought of making a manga of this myself, but I'd get in trouble due to copyright~**

 **Decoy Dragon: Who knows, they could've been. Or the could've been someone else all together? You'll need to wait to find out~ Don't worry though, there will be more flashbacks and such~ And I'll leave that duel to Bastion. Shin getting into Ra was already rushed, and I kind of regret it, but there's no backing down now. But I can tell you that Shin will be promoted to Obelisk by the end of the first year.**

 **Kurotora: Glad to know~ That wasn't Mana though. Some key details that differentiate them~ And when Shin and Atticus get acquainted, it will be a ride I can tell you that~**

 **Black 48:Thanks~ And yes, she is in the early stages. I want to create a real romance, not the whole head over heels at first sight. Y'know, developing relationship~ the DMG pairing is a little complicated at the moment. It's not going to be a real thing, but I think it could be thought of a something like a concubine, if you know what I mean? Together, but not actually together. ...If that makes sense.**

 **Blackshadow340: Thanks, glad you did~ When they meet, Asuka will really have no time to rest~**

 **Yu Narahiko: Glad to know you do~**

 **Ericmc020304: Glad to know you're enjoying the story! Yes, that really is a problem. But there's a reason for that, as slightly referenced in this chapter… I'm looking forward to those moments too! And thanks for pointing that out~ I fixed the mistake~ Don't worry, those will come in time. Right now, for one of them!**

 **Eavise: Thanks~ And yes I will -hopefully…- But I do plan to continue Shin's journey though the 5D's timeline.**

 **And with those lovely reviews out of the way, I hope you enjoy the chapter~**

Chapter 12: Shin likes foreshadowing

"Hard to believe two days have passed already..." Shin mumbled, letting himself sink in his soft mattress. "Judai and Sho are going to have that Punishment Tag Duel tomorrow, huh?"

After Asuka had literally dragged him back to the dorm by his ear, she reminded him that Judai and Sho's Punishment duel was going to take place the next day, so she advised he went to bed as early as possible, so he can be awake before the duel begins.

Reason for that was so he can make sure Chronos doesn't pull any fast moves on Judai and Sho's duel.

She then bid him goodnight, but remained in front of the Dorm until she was certain that Shin was in his room. Which worked, as she had a clear view of his window, meaning she would see if he was in there or not.

Having learned his lesson, Shin didn't dare cross Asuka and ignore her order, thus he made his way straight to his room, and took refuge on his bed.

" **Who do you think your friends are going to face tomorrow?"** Dark Magician Girl questioned, appearing on the bed beside Shin.

"I honestly don't know right now" Shin answered, glancing at the blonde Magician next to him.

" **Not even an idea?"** she wondered, as Shin leaned back in the soft mattress.

"There's a lot of ideas, but they're way too far fetched. I mean, what's the worst that can happen? Judai and Sho end facing...I dunno, the Paradox brothers? I'll give Chronos a final benefit of the doubt, and put my faith in the hope that the guy still has enough common sense to **not** choose such an overkill Tag Team."

" **I don't think it's such a good idea to still have faith in the guy, but whatever you say Shi-chan~"** his partner replied, leaning back beside her master.

 ***KNOCK**KNOCK***

In the silence of the room, a knocking coming from the door made Shin open his eyes in surprise.

" _Shin, are you there?"_ came Misawa's voice, making Shin raise an eyebrow.

Getting out of bed, he swiftly made his way to the door and opened it, revealing his fellow Ra student standing in front of his door, dressed in casual clothes.

"Oh, hey Misawa-chan~ How've you been?" Shin greeted happily, giving a little wave.

"I've been well Shin, thank you for asking. But I think I should be the one asking **you** that question" the black haired boy stated, looking at Shin with a raised eyebrow. "You were the one who was unconscious for two whole days."

"Oh, don't worry about me Misawa-chan~ Shin is a big boy!" the 'big boy' stated childishly, striking a superhero pose which made Misawa chuckle slightly.

"At least your sense of humor seems to be perfectly fine" he mumbled, causing Shin to perk up.

"Hey, Asuka-chan said the same thing~" he grinned, slightly amused. "Anyway, what brings you here Misawa-chan? Just wanted to check up on your bestie~?"

"Well, that was one of the reasons, yes" Misawa chuckled, before glancing down the hallway. "But it's actually because Prof. Kabayama sent me to get you. He wanted to speak with you in the dining room."

"Oh? Did he tell you why, exactly?" the dual haired teen asked, as Misawa shook his head.

"He didn't tell me, though I think I have an idea" he responded, causing Shin to tilt his head to the side. "Don't worry, you'll know in a second. Let's get going, shall we?"

"Alright, let's go~" skipping out of his room, Shin joined his friend as the two made their way down the hallway and toward the dining hall.

A while later, they stepped inside the dining hall, almost immediately being greeted by Kabayama.

"Ah Shin-kun, there you are. I was surprised when Misawa-kun told me he saw you running out of the school earlier. But it looks like you're just fine now" the professor noted, glancing at Shin.

"Well, I recover rather quickly~ Ain't no way I'm staying down for long" the teen smiled, causing Kabayama to release an amused chuckle.

"I'm sure that's the case, ahaha. You're still young after all" he said, before motioning for Shin to follow him to the table, where a covered platter awaited. "But I'm certain those two days of going without food can't be good, so I've taken the liberty of cooking you something to help with that."

As soon as Kabayama lifted the lid, Shin was already seated and digging in, making both Misawa and Kabayama start to laugh.

"I'll leave you two for the time being, as I'm certain you two have a little catching up to do" the professor said, turning to leave.

However, before he could leave, a PDA's message tone was heard, causing all three to take out their devices.

"Ara. It would appear Principal Samejima wishes to speak with you as soon as possible, Shin-kun" Kabayama stated, his PDA being the one that received the message. "I'll let him know you're currently having dinner, but do remember to drop by his office after you finish."

"Shur-" Shin stated, stuffing some more food in his mouth. Shaking his head, Kabayama laughed as he left the dining hall.

After the professor left, Misawa turned to Shin.

"So, what happened back there Shin?" he questioned. "You seemed just fine when you won the duel. And then you collapsed out of the blue."

"Yeah, that happens sometimes" Shin responded, taking another bite of his food. "I couldn't sleep for like two days straight, so no wonder I collapsed. Guess my body just gave out."

"And why didn't you sleep for so long?" Misawa asked, confusion clear in his voice and on his face. Shin simply shrugged, finishing the food on his plate.

"Insomnia. It happens sometimes."

"..." hearing the simple answer, made Misawa narrow his eyes slightly. Insomnia isn't something that just happens 'sometimes'. There's usually a reason behind it.

"Say, what has been going on around the school while I was in out partying in LaLa-Land?" Shin asked his friend, as he leaned back in his chair.

"Not much, honestly" Misawa shrugged lightly, glancing to the side. "Well, Judai challenged Ryou, but I think you already found that out, right?"

"Yup! Asuka-chan told me after we left Emi's office" Shin responded, before looking off to the side and puffing his cheeks. "Damn Kuriboh stealing my opponent like that..." he mumbled, causing Misawa to raise an eyebrow.

"Don't tell me you want to challenge Ryou after just getting out of the infirmary" the black haired boy sighed, looking at Shin. Said boy simply raised his fists in the air, and thrust himself into his chair.

"You can't stop the inevitable!" was his mighty cry, before falling backward unto the floor with a loud thud.

"..." Misawa didn't respond. Instead, he face-palmed.

"Ugh...Note to self. Don't do that again..." Shin mumbled, as he raised himself again. Taking his chair, he sat himself back at the table, and glanced at Misawa. "Ignoring that, did anything else happen at school? I asked Asuka-chan, but I think she may be keeping the cool stuff away from me so I won't take part"

"No, there really wasn't much going on" Misawa assured. "It was only two days, after all. Although..."

"Although…?" Shin repeated, intrigued by what Misawa apparently remembered.

"There was some talk today, regarding Manjoume" the boy said, making Shin cringe slightly.

"That guy? Jeez, wonder what that talk was about" Shin said sarcastically. However, Misawa shook his head.

"It was actually about you too." At that, Shin payed attention again. "I don't know the details, nor do I know if it's true at all, but some students said that Manjoume began looking for you as soon as word got out that you left the infirmary."

"Really?" Shin questioned with a raised eyebrow. "What the hell would he want with me- eee... oh wait, I think I know" he deadpanned, as Misawa nodded.

"I highly doubt that Manjoume cares about your well-being as much as us, so he most likely wants something else. A duel, perhaps?" he wondered, as Shin sighed.

"Well, considering I **wrecked** his goons on the first day, I'd say he wants some payback" the dual haired teen surmised.

"Could be. Then again, he also seems rather fired up whenever you and Asuka-san are together" Misawa mumbled, causing Shin to look back at him.

"Huh?" he asked, wanting clarification.

"It's not really a secret, if you really look closely. But I think it's safe to say that Manjoume has a thing for Asuka-san" Misawa explained, making Shin tilt his head to the side.

"And what does that have to do with me?" he asked obliviously. Sighing slightly, Misawa elaborated further.

"Considering you and Asuka-san are pretty much always seen together, I wouldn't blame him for thinking you two are something more than friends."

Shin's face remained blank for a while, before a devious grin stretched itself across his face.

"Hehehehe~" he laughed evilly, slightly creeping out Misawa.

"A-Are you alright…?" Misawa had known Shin long enough, to know that laugh wasn't good.

"Oh, it's nothing Misawa-chan~" Shin sang, standing up. "I was just thinking how spot on Manjoume was~" he said.

Before Misawa could question it however, Shin stood up.

"Anyway, I guess I should head to Samejima's office now" he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Say, where do I actually put the plate?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

"You can just put it back there" Misawa gestured toward the back of the room, where the kitchen was. "Someone will be over in the morning and wash everything."

Shin followed the instructions, and brought the plate into the kitchen, before returning to the dining hall and heading toward the door. However, he abruptly stopped and glanced back at Misawa.

"You coming?"

"Sorry Shin, but I'm working on something important. The inter-school duel is nearing, and my deck is still nowhere near ready" he said, standing up as well.

"You're trying to find a way to beat me, aren't you?" Shin said, a challenging smirk making it's way on his face.

"..." Misawa remained silent for a second, before he smirked and glanced back at his friend. "We may have only been at this academy for a little over two weeks, but it's already becoming common knowledge that you and Judai are not to be underestimated. I'm simply making sure I'm ready for any tricks you might still have hidden in your sleeve. I want to be the victor when we duel."

"He~ keep dreaming Misawa-chan" Shin stated, turning to walk out of the dining hall. "The best don't lose~"

And with that, Shin disappeared down the hallway, leaving a smirking Misawa alone in the dining hall.

"Hehe. We will just have to see for ourselves who 'the best' really is, won't we?" he mumbled, going into the kitchen.

Outside, Shin was currently walking down the road toward the academy, using his PDA to navigate, as night had already set on the island.

"Wonder what Samejima wants..." Shin mumbled to himself.

" **Maybe he just wants to check up on you?"** Eatos' voice suddenly called out, as the spirit appeared beside her master.

"Oh yeah, Emi-san did say he would want to talk to me. But I thought he's gonna do that tomorrow..." grasping his chin, he hummed in thought.

" **Well, he's the Principal of this school. His students' well-being should be his first priority, right? He's just doing his job"** Eatos suggested, as Shin shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh well, whatever the case may be, I just hope I won't have to hear a lecture" he said, before he suddenly felt a chill going down his spine, causing him to stop.

" **Something wrong, Shin-sama?"** his spirit questioned.

"I...I think I just jinxed myself...Yeah. Definitely jinxed myself" he said, sighing as he resumed his walk.

"Say, where's Dark Magician Girl?" Shin questioned, glancing at Eatos.

" **Last time I saw her, she was talking with the Dark Magician. From the looks of it, it seemed pretty important"** she answered, remembering how DMG's face seemed conflicted about something.

"Is it because of those 'Wicked Gods'?" Shin questioned, making Eatos shake her head.

" **No, I think it was...something bothering Dark Magician Girl personally. But you'll have to ask her that, Shin-sama"** she responded.

"I see..." the boy mumbled, as the academy appeared in the distance.

"Shin-kun?" however, upon hearing a very familiar voice, Shin perked up.

Looking to his right, he saw Asuka of all people, still dressed in her uniform. And she looked just as surprised at seeing Shin, as he was at seeing her.

"Ah, Asuka-chan~ What're you doing up at this hour?" Shin questioned, a smile on his face.

Of course, Asuka's eyes soon narrowed, as she stepped closer to Shin.

"What did I tell you not even an hour ago, Shin-kun?" she questioned sternly, causing Shin to quickly lean back and raise his hands defensively.

"I'm supposed to get to Samejima's office!" he answered quickly, stopping Asuka in her tracks. Confused, she tilted her head to the side.

"Principal Samejima? Why did he call you?" she questioned, as Shin shrugged his shoulders.

"No clue. Kabayama was the one who got the message" he answered, as Asuka's eyebrow was raised. Stepping closer, she looked directly into Shin's eyes, as if searching for any lies.

She ultimately found none, and simply sighed.

"I don't think you're lying, but just to be sure you don't get yourself in trouble again, I'll come with you" she stated, looking at Shin sternly.

"Yaay~ Asuka-chan and I are walking together~" Shin sang childishly, passing by Asuka. The girl looked back, before shaking her head and following suit.

A while later, the two students -and Eatos, who had been quietly tracking behind her master- had reached the front gate of the academy. However, in front of the gate was something interesting…

"Is this...a helicopter?" Asuka questioned, seeing the large helicopter-like machine situated in front of the academy.

"Wasn't the landing pad back at the port?" Shin wondered, using his PDA's flashlight to illuminate the helicopter.

"It is. So what's it doing here? For that matter, how did no one hear it?" mumbling that, she looked at Shin, whose eyes seemed to narrow. "Everything alright, Shin-kun?"

"Hold on a second..." Shin took a few steps back, to get a wider look at the machine. And as he did, he noticed the light blue paint, as well as the familiar logo near the tail.

"The Kaiba Corp. logo?" Asuka asked surprised, seeing the helicopter belonged to the Kaiba Corporation.

"Must be Seto-chan's new plaything" Shin guessed, shrugging his shoulders. And then, his eyes opened in realization. "Wait, that means Seto-chan's here!"

"Seto Kaiba is-?" Asuka questioned, before realization hit her as well. "Actually, now that I think about it. You were out for two days, so I guess it should be expected that the founder of the academy would come in to check on things. He did the same thing when Kenji was found in a coma."

"Pfff...just what I needed" Shin mumbled, beginning to walk toward the academy, prompting Asuka to follow. "I'm too tired to deal with Seto-chan..."

"I don't think you're in any trouble, Shin-kun. You're the one who fainted, after all" Asuka reassured, glancing at Shin.

"You never know with Seto-chan..." Shin sighed, as the two entered the academy.

The hallways were empty, as Shin and Asuka made their way to the Principal's office. No remaining students, and only a few teachers left in the classrooms, getting ready to leave as well.

A few minutes of walking later, and the two students stood in front of Samejima's office.

"Here we go..." Shin mumbled, raising his hand in front of the door, and knocking a few times.

" _Who is it?"_ came Samejima's voice, as Shin's eyebrow raised.

"It's Shin. You called for me, Principal Samejima?" the boy asked, curious as to why Samejima questioned who it was, considering he always just allowed people to enter.

" _Ah yes, Shin. Please, come in"_ the principal said.

Shin glanced at Asuka, before he opened the door.

As the two stepped inside, they first noticed Samejima, standing behind his desk as usual. And unsurprisingly, they also noticed Seto and Mokuba Kaiba standing near the Principal. It was to be expected, as Seto's apparent helicopter stood in front of the academy.

However, what surprised Asuka were the three new additions in the room. And upon recognizing two of the three, her eyes widened.

Stood near Seto Kaiba, was a man in his mid twenties, with black hair styled in five spikes, and golden bangs framing his face. Currently wearing his signature blue leather pants and black tank top, his duel deck strapped to his side, was none other than the King of Games, Yugi Muto.

And next to Yugi stood the self-proclaimed Grandfather of Games, Jonouchi Katsuya. A young man, also in his early twenties, wearing a black shirt with red stripes and black jeans.

Staring at three dueling legends, Asuka couldn't help but let her mouth drop.

"Ah shit-!" she **did** however, hear Shin's sudden exclamation, followed by an apparent attempt of escape...

"No, you don't!"..which was foiled by the third new person in the room.

Shin's attempted escape was quickly stopped by a woman around the same age as Yugi and Jonouchi, with medium length brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a black tank top, short jeans and red shoes.

"And where do you think you're going, mister?" the woman questioned the sheepish looking Shin, who released an uneven giggle.

"O-Oh, nowhere A-Anzu-nee...Ehehe~" he replied, as Anzu's stare seemingly pierced through him.

"Do you have **any** idea, how worried I was for the last two days?!" Anzu exclaimed, lifting Shin by the back of his shirt and making him face her. "What were you thinking, accepting to fight Pegasus in that state?! You're lucky it didn't end worse!"

"I-I know...Sorry.." Shin mumbled, looking at the ground. From the side lines, it looked like an owner disciplining a disobedient pup. Something that made the older duelists in the room chuckle slightly.

"Seriously..." Anzu mumbled, before placing Shin back on the ground. She then bent down and enveloped Shin in a warm embrace. "At least you're okay, and that's what matters. But please, stop getting yourself in trouble all the time."

"Hai..." Shin replied, hugging his big sister figure.

"There's Big Sis Anzu" Jonouchi remarked from the sidelines. "Always there to lecture him, but never able to stay mad at him" he grinned.

"I'll save the lecture for another time" Anzu replied, letting go of Shin. "I know I wouldn't want to be lectured after being unconscious for two days-"

 ***GRIP***

"-but that still doesn't mean it couldn't be avoided!" she reprimanded, grabbing a hold of Shin's already hurt ear.

"Owowowowow- OW! Not that ear, please! Asuka-chan already hurt that one!" Shin pleaded with small tears in his eyes, as his ear turned red.

"Huh?" confused about the new name, Anzu let go of Shin's ear. "Who's Asuka?" she questioned, having apparently never noticed the blonde that's been awkwardly standing in the room.

"That would be me" said girl responded, raising her hand. Apparently, no one but Yugi and Kaiba had noticed her presence, as the rest were surprised

"Ah, Asuka-san. I'm sorry, I did not even notice you standing there" Samejima remarked, sweatdropping awkwardly. Something that was shared by Jonouchi.

"And here I thought Shin was the only one with the weird stealth" he noted, scratching the back of his head. At that, Shin laughed lightly.

"Yeah, I may or may not have rubbed off on Asuka-chan a bit~ Then again, it was to be expected with how much time we spend together~" he grinned brightly, making Yugi- who had been silently watching everything unfold- raise an eyebrow.

"Is that so? She must be a good friend then, right?" he asked, expecting Shin's usual childish response. However, Shin quickly slid behind Asuka, placing his head on her shoulder and hugging her from behind. And then -grinning- he dropped the bomb.

"She's my girlfriend~!" he exclaimed happily, making everyone's eyes open wide as dinner plates.

 **[PFFFFF-!]** and also do a spit take in shock.

"W-W-Wha-?!" Asuka was also taken aback, as she began blushing madly. "W-What do you mean g-g-g-girlfriend?!" she exclaimed shocked.

"Yeah, what do you mean girlfriend?! When did this happen and why was I not told?!" Anzu was on the same boat as Asuka, both being taken completely by surprise.

"Nice going, Shin!" Jonouchi on the other hand, seemed happy about the situation. "You got yourself a total cutie!"

"Jonouchi, I don't think that's the important part here" Yugi noted, sweatdropping at the fact that Asuka herself seemed unaware of the relationship.

"Yeah, the important part here is that it's too early for a Shin to be in a relationship! It's only been two weeks!" Anzu barked back at Jonouchi, causing him to take a step back.

"Oh come on, two weeks is plenty of time!" Jonouchi defended. And as Jonouchi and Anzu began bickering about it, Yugi and the Kaiba brothers facepalmed, while Samejima laughed softly.

Speaking of laughing, Shin himself was trying his best to not bust out laughing. And Asuka noticed that, making her finally start to realize what he actually did.

"That...That was a bluff wasn't it?" Asuka whispered to her 'boyfriend', who began snickering.

"Of course it was~" he grinned his signature grin, making Asuka release a slight breath.

One one hand, she was glad it was just a bluff. However, on the other hand, she subconsciously wished that wasn't the case.

"Should've seen that coming, honestly" the blonde beauty sighed, causing Shin to giggle.

"Yes you should have~ The whole couple thing is what we said we were going to try out, isn't it?" he responded, before gesturing toward the bickering adults. "You can't tell me that isn't funny."

Asuka looked at the two for a minute, before shaking her head with a small smile.

"You're right, that is amusing. Though I don't want to see people arguing everytime we do this" she noted, leaning into Shin slightly.

"If that's the case, then I need to give you a heads up. We might see a show with Manjoume tomorrow" Shin said, causing Asuka to glance back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Manjoume-kun? What did you do?" she asked the dual haired teen.

"I didn't do nothin'!" Shin replied instantly. "But I was told that Manjoume was looking for me today. He most likely wants payback for what happened on the first day" he said, nonchalantly.

"He wants to challenge you to a duel?" Asuka guessed, earning a nod from Shin.

"Most likely. But there's another thing that'll most likely make him explode" Shin said, gaining Asuka's curiosity. "Are you aware of his crush on you?"

"Crush?" Asuka wondered, surprised at the piece of information. But then, the pieces started to come together in her mind. How he always tries to impress whenever she's around, how fired up he seemed to get whenever she's with Shin.

"Now that I think about it, I feel rather stupid for not realizing" the blonde noted, looking back at Shin.

"Which is why he'll most likely blow a gasket once we start this little 'game' of ours~" Shin grinned, as Asuka sweatdropped.

"I don't think that's a good idea Shin-kun" she said, voicing her doubt. "It sounds pretty cruel, if you ask me."

"Let me ask you this. Do you reciprocate his feelings?" Shin asked, making Asuka raise an eyebrow.

"Well..I can't say I do" she answered a little sheepishly. Nodding his head, Shin continued.

"Then you know what would happen if he did gather the courage to ask you out?" the boy question, feeling a slow nod from Asuka. "I'd say seeing you're no longer available is far better than the crushing pain of the refusal. Am I wrong?"

"..." Shin took Asuka's silence as a 'No'.

"Besides, what's the worst that can happen? He leaves the island?" Shin questioned with a laugh, making Asuka release a little laugh as well.

"Yes, that does sound a little crazy. Then again, you can never really tell with Manjoume-kun" she noted, looking back at Shin.

"Oh well, whether he likes it or not, he'll have to come to terms with the eventual outcome" he said, before leaning close to Asuka's face, causing her cheeks to turn rosy.

"A-And what's that outcome…?" she stuttered slightly, causing Shin to grin wider, before he leaned in even further.

"That you are mine~" he whispered, leaning in so close that their lips were mere millimeters apart.

"A-Ahawaa.." and of course, Asuka was sent over the edge, and became a blushing mess, causing Shin to lose it completely.

"Ahahahaha! Always the most precious reactions~ Ahaha~" Shin laughed, causing the other people in the room to pay attention to him once again.

Anzu and Jonouchi had stopped bickering, and were staring confused at the blushing Asuka and laughing Shin.

"Hey, did we miss something?" Jonouchi asked with a sweatdrop, confused by Shin's sudden laughing fit.

"You two missed quite a lot while you were bickering" Seto quipped from the side, causing Shin to suddenly stop laughing.

"Wait you heard all of that?" he questioned, sweatdropping. His response, came in the form of a nod from Seto.

"Just because those two were bickering doesn't mean the rest of us were" the CEO said, glancing at Anzu and Jonouchi, before looking back at Shin. "Should've expected you to create a couple act simply to get reactions out of people."

"Wait, you two aren't actually together?" Anzu asked, earning a nod from Shin and the blushing Asuka. "Then why are you acting like it?!"

"Cuz I want to see what everyone thinks" Shin replied blankly.

His simple answer, left many silent. They also sweatdropped at his reasoning.

"Always doing the craziest of things for the simplest of reasons" Yugi mumbled, whilst shaking his head with a smile.

"Look, I know you people have some catching up to do, but I have paperwork waiting to be finished, so if you don't mind, can you give the squirt what we came here to give him and leave?" Kaiba broke the silence, with a slightly impatient tone.

"No one's keeping you here Kaiba" Jonouchi retorted, making a 'Shoo' gesture with his hand. "You can just leave if you want."

"And who will fly you guys back home?" the younger Kaiba replied, making Jonouchi realize his mistake.

"Huh?" Shin titled his head to the side. "You guys have something for me?"

At that, Yugi stepped forward.

"Pegasus created something for you to try out" he said, as he reached into his back pocket.

He then pulled out a handful of cards, which he presented to Shin. However, the boy tilted his head to the side, upon seeing that the cards were completely blank.

"Uhh...what are these?" the boy questioned, as Yugi pulled out a little device, which projected a hologram of Pegasus. Intrigued, Shin watched as the hologram cleared it's throat, before speaking.

" _I've observed a few interesting things during and after our Duel, Shinnie-boy. The way you seemingly drew a card that wasn't yet released had left me puzzled, and since you unfortunately fell unconscious, there was no way of knowing how you did that"_ Pegasus' hologram said, before smirking lightly. _"_ _But then I got some ideas that might shed some light. However, as I'm_ _unable to be present at the moment, I've left Yugi-boy this message and_ _a few_ _special cards."_

" _As you can see, the cards are blank._ _What I want you to do, is turn those blank cards into some actual playable cards~"_ Pegasus declared, making Asuka and Shin do a double take in surprise. _"Of course, you must be asking yourself. 'But how can I, a mere teenager, replicate the fine arts of creating playable cards for the most awesome card game in existence, o' great Creator'-"_ everyone's faces had turned into a deadpan before Pegasus had even ended his sentence. _"-Well I'll let you figure that out~ Think of it as an awesome adventure~_ _Don't be a stranger Shinnie-boy~"_ and with a final wave the hologram disappeared.

"That...was confusing" Shin noted, scratching the back of his head. Even Asuka was left confused.

"Pegasus wants you...to create cards? Did I get that right?" she wondered, looking at the teen next to her, said boy shrugging his shoulders.

"Apparently?" he responded, before looking at the older duelists in the room. "Do any of you know what he really meant?"

"This is Pegasus we're talking about. His eccentricity is second to none" Kaiba noted, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Knowing him, he truly wants you to make those blanks into some actual cards."

"But, how?!" Shin exclaimed, having absolutely no idea how to turn blank cards into playable cards.

Kaiba spared him a glance, before getting his ever-present suitcase and heading for the door.

"It's your job to figure it out squirt" he noted, passing by the young duelists. He then glanced at the other adults in the room. "I'm going ahead. If you guys aren't ready by the time I start up the helicopter, I'm leaving you here." and with that, he promptly left the room.

"Onii-sama, wait for me!" called the younger Kaiba, before following after Seto.

Back in the room, a short silence descended.

"Hey, don't you dare leave us here rich-boy!" Jonouchi exclaimed, before taking off after the CEO, prompting Anzu to shake her head.

"Oh boy, here we go again..." she sighed, before running after Jonouchi. However, she stopped halfway through the door, and peaked her head back. "Stay out of trouble you hear me?!" she exclaimed, making Shin nod his head rapidly. And with a final nod, Anzu left the room in order to prevent any even taking place between Jonouchi and Seto.

"Hahaha, you certainly have very lively companions Shin" Samejima chuckled, after having seen everything unfold.

"Ehehe~ Always with the rowdy bunch~" the boy chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Aren't you going to follow them Yugi-chan? Seto-chan will really leave you here" Shin said, looking back at the King of Games.

Said King smiled and began walking forward.

"I wouldn't put it past Kaiba, but I'm sure Jonouchi and Anzu won't let him" he said, patting Shin on the shoulder. "Anyway, sorry we couldn't stay for long. But I'm sure we'll talk again soon enough" Yugi said, looking down at Shin.

"Well, I was meaning to video call you guys before soo..." Shin said, causing Yugi to smirk and give him a thumbs up.

"Then I'll let the others know, and we'll catch up soon. Stay out of trouble Shin" and with that, Yugi followed after his friends, and left the room.

As the door closed behind him, the only ones left in the room were Shin, Asuka and Principal Samejima.

"Well, that was a thing" Shin noted, breaking the silence.

"You tell me" Asuka quipped, looking at Shin incredulously. "When were you going to tell us you are friends with Yugi Muto?"

"Well, I didn't mean to tell you guys at all, really..." Shin mumbled, looking away. Asuka tilted her head in confusion.

"But why? It would've helped you so much, especially with all the Obelisks students initially looking down on you."

"I think it's a matter of principle, Asuka-san" Samejima quipped from the side, making the teens look at him. "Shin simply didn't want to receive any special treatment just because he is friends with someone famous. Am I wrong, Shin?" the principal asked, receiving a slight nod from the boy.

"I don't like taking shortcuts" Shin shrugged. "I want to show what **I** am capable of."

"The willingness to go the extra mile is a rare trait among the younger generations" Samejima said, whilst leaning back into his chair. "Unfortunately, that's the case even here at Duel Academia."

"Yeah, if all the Obelisk students are anything to go by" Shin mumbled, causing Asuka to raise an eyebrow.

"That was a dig at Manjoume-kun, wasn't it?" she questioned knowingly, receiving a childish smirk in return.

"Maybe~" he responded, sticking his tongue out. At the obvious answer, Asuka shook her head with a slight sigh, while Samejima chuckled lightly.

"Yes, Manjoume-kun does seem to be a prime example of people taking shortcuts, but I see the right potential in him. He just needs the right push" Samejima said, making Shin chortle.

"That guy seems about as hardworking as his goons" he answered, before realizing something. "Wait. Maybe..." placing a hand to his chin, Shin began thinking.

"Shin-kun, what are you thinking of now?" Asuka asked, feeling Shin's scheming side rising to the surface.

"It's nothing bad~" he smiled 'innocently'. "I was just thinking of that 'push' Manjoume needs~"

"Please don't cause trouble" she deadpanned, causing both Shin and Samejima to laugh.

"Yes, please don't cause too much of a ruckus Shin" the principal said, standing up from his desk. "But moving on from everyone else. What about you Shin? Are you feeling alright?"

"Me? Oh, I'm just dandy~" Shin gave a toothy grin. "I don't stay down for long~ If I do, then that really is a reason for concern" he mumbled, cringing slightly. Immediately, Asuka slapped his shoulder.

"You'd better not jinx it" she warned, making Shin chuckle. "I'm serious, you trouble magnet!"

"Hey, it's not like I actively go searching for trouble!" Shin retorted, raising his arms in defense.

"Well, it certainly looks like it! What with you always diving head-first into every situation" she said, referring to the most recent events.

"Well, sorry for trying to be a good friend..." Shin mumbled, putting cutely. Asuka simply shook her head at Shin's antics.

"Now now, you two. There's no need to fight over past deeds" Samejima said, walking closer to the two. "Like your friend said, as long as you're fine, then that's all that matters" he noted, patting Shin's shoulder.

"But in all seriousness. Are you sure you're fine?" Samejima asked once more, receiving a nod from Shin. "Well that's certainly a relief" he released a breath, before going back to his desk. There, he glanced at the clock, which read 21:30. "Well, would you look at the time? It's almost curfew, which means you kids should be getting back to your dorms now. Be sure to get some rest, Shin."

"I will sir" Shin reassured as he and Asuka turned to leave the room. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight sir" and with those final words, the two students left Samejima's office, leaving him alone.

Leaning back into his chair, Samejima released a short breath, before glancing at something in his desk.

"A great burden awaits all of you" he mumbled, turning to look out of his window at the cloudy night sky. "It won't be long now before they make their move. And it will be your job to defeat them..."

Outside, Asuka and Shin were currently walking down the road toward their dorms. Walking in complete silence, they simply listened to the gentle breeze around them. Glancing up at the sky however, Shin could see the starless sky, meaning that clouds were gathering above them.

As another breeze past by, Shin felt a strange sensation overtake him for a moment, making him immediately think back on Dark Magician told him.

' _Man, this whole Wicked Gods and Sacred Beasts stuff is making me a little paranoid'_ he thought, lightly shaking his head. Glancing over to his female companion, he saw her glancing at the sky. _'Did she feel the same thing…?'_

Deciding to lift the awkward silence, Shin asked the first question that popped into his mind.

"So, you think I can duel Ryou tomorrow?" he asked bluntly, making Asuka do a double take.

"You still want to duel Ryou?!" she exclaimed incredulously.

"Hell yeah! Ryou promised me a duel, and I need to get back in shape anyway" he said rather nonchalantly, making Asuka look at him wide eyed. She then suddenly approached him and placed a hand on his forehead.

Confused, Shin raised an eyebrow as Asuka proceeded to give him a check up.

"Asuka-chan, what are you doing?" he asked confused.

"Checking you" was her short answer, confusing Shin even further. "You definitely must've suffered some form of damage to your head, because no sane person would try to take on the top student at the academy simply to 'get back in shape'. Especially not after being unconscious for two days."

"Are you saying I can't take him on?" Shin exclaimed, placing a hand to his heart.

"Not this early!" she argued back, bringing up a reasonable point. Something Shin acknowledged.

"Well, Manjoume is gonna challenge me anyway, so I'll end up dueling an Obelisk either way!" the boy stated, whilst crossing his arms.

"Then duel me" Asuka stated, taking Shin by complete surprise.

"'Scuse me, what?" he asked dumbly, as Asuka's face turned serious.

"If you want to get back in shape, then duel me instead of Ryou. I promise I'll give you the challenge you want" she stated, crossing her arms over her bust and looking at Shin, waiting for an answer.

' _Dangit, I don't want to duel Asuka-chan...I'll feel bad when I beat her, but I can't just lose on purpose'_ Shin was currently having an internal struggle, while Asuka's foot began tapping on the ground.

"Well? What is it going to be Shin-kun?" she asked, staring at Shin. "Either you duel me, or you don't duel at all."

Shin had to make a decision. So he made the one decision that has always got him out of hot water.

"Look a distraction!" Shin yelled suddenly, in a hail Mary attempt to escape. And it worked, as the suddenness of the yell made Asuka instinctively look in the direction Shin was pointing.

"Huh-?"

 ***Whoosh~***

"-Wait crap!" but she almost immediately caught on and turned back, only to be met with Shin's dust, the boy being long gone already.

Left alone on the path, the Girls Dorm a few hundred feet away, Asuka sighed at Shin's antics. Shaking her head, she began walking toward her dorm once more.

' _You can run Shin-kun, but you can't avoid me forever. We will duel soon...I want to see for myself just what you are capable of'_ Asuka thought with a tiny smirk on her face.

"Geez, I didn't expect Asuka-chan to challenge me like that" Shin mumbled, as he entered his room. Turning on the light, he went over to the bed and immediately jumped into it.

"Ahhh, home sweet home~" he sighed in content, feeling sleep already begin to overtake him. Thus, he quickly took off his jacket and threw it across the room, took off his shoes and threw the covers on.

" **The light is still on, Shi-chan~"** his Partner's voice suddenly whispered in his ear, making him jump out of the bed in surprise. **"Hehehe~"** Dark Magician Girl giggled, seeing Shin's reaction.

"I told you to stop doing that!" Shin exclaimed, climbing back into the bed.

" **But where's the fun in that?"** she teased, sticking her tongue out at the boy. However, her expression then turned to curiosity. **"I felt Yugi's presence earlier. What was he doing here?"**

"Well, turns out he came here to give me something from Pegasus-chan" Shin said, pulling out the blanks that Yugi gave him, DMG looking on curiously. "Apparently, Pegasus-chan wants me to turn these into some actual cards."

" **But how are you gonna do that?"** she questioned confused, receiving a shrug from Shin.

"Dunno. Pegasus-chan didn't tell me how to do it, instead he told me to just...do it."

" **Maybe you can just draw some new monster images on them?"** Dark Magician Girl suggested, causing Shin to chuckle.

"If it was that easy, everyone would've just had custom monsters" he said, causing his Partner's shoulders to slump. He then placed a hand on his chin in thought. "But when I think about it, Seto-chan does do the occasional card contest. And I'm certain with some persuasion I can get Pegasus-chan to create some custom cards for me..." 

" **Hmm..."** Dark Magician Girl hummed, laying back unto the bed.

"Oh well, he definitely won't do that until I can somehow turn these blanks into actual cards" Shin shrugged, putting the blanks along with his Extra Deck cards, and placed his decks on the nightstand. "For now, I gotta take a shower. Then it's straight to bed, cuz I'm afraid of what Asuka-chan will do if I don't listen to her. And I don't even want to know what Anzu-nee will do if she would get wind of that" he shuddered, before grabbing a towel from his closet and heading to the bathroom.

As Shin was busy showering, his Partner remained stationed on his bed, seemingly deep in thought.

But she then glanced on the nightstand, where Shin's decks were placed. Raising an eyebrow, she floated over to the Shin's decks, and quickly fished out the blank cards that Pegasus had given him.

' _ **Maybe these could be what I've waited for...'**_ Dark Magician Girl thought, a certain glint appearing in her eyes. As she glanced at the blanks however, something curious happened.

A sudden sense of danger overcame Dark Magician Girl, like a sixth sense alerting her of a predator being nearby. And then one of the cards gained a purplish hue, surprising the Duel Spirit.

 ***GROWL***

Hearing a low growl around her, DMG quickly scanned her surroundings, only to find the room completely empty. Looking back at her hand, she saw the blank's glow disappear, making her raise an eyebrow in confusion.

' _ **That...That had to have been a duel spirit'**_ DMG noted in her mind, staring at the formerly glowing blank card. **_'A duel spirit unknown to me? Impossible.'_** her eyes narrowed slightly, as she placed the blanks back in Shin's Extra Deck.

' _ **I need to tell Master about this. Maybe he'll have an idea what that was'**_ she thought, floating in the middle of the room, before she glanced at the bathroom door. **_'That feeling was anything but good. It was like a predator watching it's prey...'_ **she thought of Shin, who was still taking his shower, meaning he was oblivious to what she just experienced.

" **Silent Magician"** DMG called out Shin's other Magician.

It didn't take long for the white haired magician to appear in the room, as her head tilted to the side.

" **You called for me, Dark Magician Girl?"** she asked confused.

" **I want you to keep an eye on Shi-chan tonight. There's something off, and I need to talk to my Master about it ASAP"** she explained, confusing Silent Magician a little further with the lack of information.

" **U-Uh, sure it's no problem. I'll make sure Shin-sama is safe and sound tonight!"** regardless, she nodded her head with determination. **"B-But what exactly is 'off', if you don't mind me asking?"**

" **Shin received some blank cards from Pegasus, and is expected to make them into some actual cards. But when I took a look at them, one of the cards seemed to resonate with something unknown to me"** Dark Magician Girl explained. **"Whatever it was, it didn't seem too nice, which is why I don't want to leave Shi-chan alone."**

" **I see"** Silent Magician nodded her head in understanding. **"I'll do my best!"**

With a nod of her own, Dark Magician Girl disappeared from the room, heading to the Spirit Realm in order to talk to Dark Magician.

Left alone in the room, Silent Magician floated toward the nightstand where Shin's decks were. She glanced at them curiously, as if testing what DMG said, but nothing happened. She shrugged lightly, before floating down on Shin's bed.

A while later, the boy walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair with the towel. But as he entered back in the room, he was surprised to see Silent Magician instead of Dark Magician Girl waiting for him on the bed.

"Silent Magician?" he tilted his head in confusion. "Where's Dark Magician Girl?"

" **She had to return to the Spirit Realm as soon as possible, in order to speak with her Master"** the spirit answer, as Shin placed the towel on his chair nearby.

"Huh. Must've been something urgent then..." he mumbled, taking a spare shirt from the closet and throwing it on. "I'll ask her about it tomorrow. For now, I'll hit the sack"

And with that statement, he jumped past Silent Magician and landed under the covers. He then released a satisfied sigh.

"Night~" and with that, Shin was out like a light, leaving Silent Magician staring in amazement at how fast he fell asleep.

' _ **Well, I do remember Eatos-sama saying he always wanted to be able to fall asleep instantly'**_ she thought, before floating back into her card with a smile on her face. Since her card was right next to Shin, she would be able to appear at a moments notice.

Hours later, the sun began rising on the horizon, enveloping the island with it's warm glow.

Since he forgot to close the curtains last night, Shin was quickly awoken by the rays of sunlight seeping into his room. Releasing a yawn, he raised his body and checked the clock. It read 6 AM.

' _Well, it's definitely a much better sleep than usual'_ Shin thought whilst stretching his arms, glad that he was able to have a peaceful sleep.

Getting out of bed, he took a moment to yawn again, before standing up and heading toward the bathroom.

And after he left, Silent Magician LV8 also appeared in the room, checking to make sure there was nothing else there. Seeing everything was fine, she nodded her head.

' _ **Alright, everything seems to be just fine. Now to let Dark Magician Girl know'**_ and with that, she quickly vanished into the Spirit World.

Back in the bathroom, Shin was busy brushing his teeth, a sleepy expression still on his face.

' _It's still pretty early. And since today Judai and Sho will take their Punishment Duel, there's no classes for the day. Doubt anyone's awake yet...'_ he mumbled in his mind as he finished. He the washed his face with some cold water, to really get rid of the sleepiness. _'Well, Asuka-chan may be awake at this hour'_ Shin thought, exiting the bathroom.

Going over to his closet, he quickly threw on a jacket, and began to leave. But then, he saw what seemed to be a glint from his decks. Raising an eyebrow curiously, a tiny grin made it's way onto Shin's face.

' _Maybe if Asuka-chan isn't awake, I can challenge Ryou to a duel before she can say anything about it'_ he thought, before quickly taking his decks and Duel Disk with him, and leaving the room.

After leaving the Dorm, he hurried toward the Girls' Dorm, to see if Asuka was already awake.

Reaching the familiar lake, he once again decided to use his climbing skills, in order to reach Asuka's window on the third floor. Securing himself on the window sill, he glanced into her room.

' _Hehehe~'_ he giggled in his mind, upon seeing Asuka peacefully asleep on her bed. _'Well, looks like it's time to pay Ryou a visit. Preferably before Sleeping Beauty wakes up~'_

Carefully climbing back down to the ground, Shin began making his way toward the Academy, where the Obelisk Boys' Dorm was located. But since he wanted to get this done as soon as possible, he didn't take the time to enjoy the fresh air, and gentle sea breeze.

He jogged for a few minutes, before the Obelisk Dorm appeared in sight.

Coming to a halt, he took out his PDA and pulled up the images showing the room distribution within the Dorm, in order to locate Ryou's room.

"Well that's certainly very convenient" Shin noted, seeing that Ryou's room was just like Asuka's, namely located right in the front, giving Shin easy access to it.

Even more convenient, was the fact that there was a tree, whose branches led right into Ryou's balcony, making things even easier.

Smirking, Shin swiftly climbed up the large tree, and hopped on the branch leading on Ryou's balcony. Peering inside Shin saw that the bed was empty, meaning Ryou was up.

' _Perfect!'_ he grinned, jumping down on the balcony. Going over to the glass door, he jokingly tried to open it.

 ***Sliiide***

However, the door slid open, allowing Shin access inside. Surprised, but satisfied nonetheless, the teen stepped inside the large room, and looked around for a bit.

In front of him was a large King-sized bed with a wooden frame and curtains. Next to the bed was a standard desk and PC, same as in the Ra Dorm. In the middle of the room, was a U-shaped couch and a large flat-screen TV. A few lamps in various corners in the room, and finally a door opposite to the bed leading into the bathroom.

' _Huh. It's similar to Asuka-chan's room...'_ Shin thought, remembering his last visit to the Girls' Dorm.

As he was admiring the room, noticing all the differences between the Obelisk Dorms, the bathroom door opened, snapping him out of his observation. And from the bathroom came Ryou, a towel around his shoulders. He soon noticed the new resident, and his eyes opened in surprise.

"Shin? What are you doing here?" he questioned confused, as Shin beamed and raised his left arm, where his Duel Disk rested.

"Duel me!" he declared strongly, causing Ryou to stop functioning for a moment.

.

.

.

"..Eh?"

"You heard me! You said you'd duel me and I came here to duel!" Shin said excitedly, as Ryou sweatdropped. Sighing, the Kaiser placed a hand to his forehead.

"Shin..." he started, looking at the grinning teen in front of him. "While I appreciate the fact you haven't forgotten about our duel, I think you should rest up a little before we duel. You've just woken up yesterday, remember?" Ryou said, causing Shin's shoulders to slump.

"Mou!" the boy exclaimed, pouting like a child. "You said we were gonna duel and I ain't leaving till I get my friggin' duel!" he borderline shouted, throwing his hands in the air.

Seeing Shin begin to throw a temper tantrum, Ryou's sweatdrop increased in size. Not wanting to deal with this so early in the morning, the Kaiser sighed deeply.

"Alright, fine. We'll duel" he said, as Shin's face almost immediately lit up with happiness. "Let me change and we'll go to the Duel Arena. It's still early, so it should be clear to use" Ryou stated, before grabbing his uniform and going back into the bathroom to change.

All the while Shin remained in the middle of the room, not moving an inch.

"Alright Shin, are you really sure you want to do this?" Ryou asked, once the two took their spots on the Obelisk Duel Arena. Once Ryou had finished getting dressed, Shin had pretty much dragged Ryou all the way to the Arena.

"I'm just fine!" Shin declared, activating his Duel Disk. "Now come on, we don't have all day~"

"Because of Judai and Sho's Punishment Duel?" Ryou asked, activating his own Duel Disk.

"Y-Yeah, that's why...their duel" Shin replied anxiously, sweatdropping at the real reason. _'Which is to not let Asuka-chan wake up and catch me...'_ "Also, since we're on the subject, how about we use 4000 points, to speed things up?"

Ryou noticed the sweatdrop, and raised an eyebrow. However, he decided not to question it.

"I'm fine with that" he stated. "But know that I won't be going easy on you Shin!" Ryou declared, placing his fingers on his deck, ready to draw his cards. Shin smirked.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Shin replied excited, mimicking Ryou's actions. And then his smirk grew. "Now-"

[DUEL!] the shouted in unison, drawing their five starting cards.

Inside his office, Samejima had just sat himself at his desk, ready to check that everything was ready for the Tag Punishment Duel.

"Hmm, let's see..." he mumbled, pulling out his personal laptop from his desk.

But as he logged into his account, he noticed something peculiar. It was a little blinking dot, situated under a camera icon on his desktop. Raising an eyebrow, he clicked on it.

What appeared on his monitor, were multiple surveillance cameras POVs. This was KaibaCorp's security system, and it was what kept most students from breaking curfew. The ones who did, probably knew it Samejima wasn't in his office really late at night.

But right now, Samejima was looking through the different cameras, wanting to see what caused the blinking light, until he stumbled upon the camera placed in the Obelisk Duel Arena.

' _[DUEL!]'_ he saw both Ryou and Shin declare, as they started their duel.

"Ryou-kun and Shin?" the principal questioned surprised. "This really is surprising, I have to say. Leave it to Shin to challenge the 'Kaiser' at a time like this" he laughed lightly.

"Hmm, the image is so small on this little laptop" Samejima mumbled, squinting lightly at the small image. "Darn thing...How do I make it full-screen, I wonder?"

He looked around on the screen, trying to find the little icon. He found no such icon, but he did find something awfully similar. Four arrows pointing outwards surrounding a red dot. Samejima didn't know exactly what the button did, but he clicked on it regardless.

"Oh well, what's the worst that could happen?" Samejima noted, as the camera footage suddenly turned full-screen. Satisfied, Samejima leaned back into his chair, curious as to how the duel would pan out.

Unaware that the button he pressed wasn't to go full-screen…

..It was what teachers used when they had a message for all the students. That, was the video broadcast button. And all students that were now awake, would be treated to the ongoing duel.

Inside the Girls Dorm, Asuka was enjoying her beauty sleep, when she began hearing familiar voices coming from the PDA on her nightstand. Confused, she cracked one eye open and grabbed the device.

Her eyes soon opened wide as dinner plates.

Inside the Red Dorm, Sho was already up, unable to get too much sleep because he was still nervous about today's duel. His PDA, along with Judai's and Hayato's, also began broadcasting the ongoing duel, causing Sho's eyes to open in surprise, before he began to wake Judai up to see as well.

Yellow dorm wasn't much different, as most students there were early risers. And with all their PDA's showing the same thing, everyone had stopped what they were doing, in order to watch.

The Obelisk Boys' Dorm however, was a little different. The boys were enjoying their sleep, not really caring about the Punishment Duel taking place today. Especially the one and only, Manjoume.

But, he was rudely woken up by two voices suddenly yelling [DUEL], and ruining the quiet of his room. And like Asuka, he cracked one eye open and grabbed his PDA, grumbling something as he glanced at it.

.

.

.

"-WAIT WHAT?!" and his sudden yell resounded through the Dorm, alerting all the other students to what was about to take place.

Back on the actual Duel Field, the two boys had drawn their respective hands.

 **SHIN: 4000 LP**

 **RYOU: 4000 LP**

"You can go first Shin" Ryou said, crossing his arms and patiently waiting for Shin.

"Don't mind if I do~" Shin called, drawing his sixth card. Glancing at his hand, he hummed lightly.

Then, upon his shoulder, Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV4 appeared with a squeak.

' _Hey Horus. Haven't seen you in a while~'_ Shin grinned lightly, glancing at the Duel Spirit who squeaked happily. _'Heh~ Let's get you some action pal!'_

"I summon, Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV4, in ATK mode!" Shin stated, placing the card on his energy disk.

 **Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV4 (1600/1000)**

"LV monsters huh? Interesting" Ryou noted, looking curiously at the monster.

"Heh. These guys are full of surprises, just you wait~" Shin grinned, inserting a card in his Duel Disk. "I set two cards, and activate Different Dimension Capsule!"

The card flipped up on the field, as a look of recognition crossed Ryou's face. Shin then choose one card from his deck, and placed it in a special slot on his Disk.

"With this I can choose one card from my deck, banish it from play and on my second Standby phase I add it to my hand" Shin explained, crossing his own arms. "My turn's done~ You're up Ryou-chan~"

 **SHIN: 4000 LP**

"Then I draw!" Ryou declared, drawing his sixth card. With a quick glance at his hand, he grabbed one of his cards and threw it on his Disk.

"Since you have a monster I don't, I can activate this monster's special effect! I Special Summon, Cyber Dragon!" he declared, as his signature robotic dragon appearing on the field, releasing a cybernetic screech.

 **Cyber Dragon -LV5- (2100/1600)**

"Oh, the Cyber Dragon~" Shin grinned, knowing about the 'Kaiser's' famed monsters. "I have to admit it looks mighty awesome, but I sort of prefer the Toon version more~"

"I still don't know what to think about that..." Ryou mumbled, causing Shin to giggle. "Anyway, since Cyber Dragon was a Special Summon, I can still Normal Summon Cyber Phoenix!" with his statement, a large mechanical bird appeared on Ryou's field, right next to Cyber Dragon.

 **Cyber Phoenix -LV4- (1200/1600)**

"You should know what happens next" Ryou said, as both his monsters began charging an attack. "Cyber Dragon, attack Shin's Horus!"

Cyber Dragon launched it's electrical attack, but it stopped short of Horus, as a cybernetic shield appeared in front of it.

"Sorry Ryou, but it ain't gonna be that easy! I activate my Trap! Draining Shield! With it, your monster's ATK get's added to my LP!" Shin stated, as Cyber Dragon's attack became Shin's LP.

 **SHIN: 4000 LP → 6100 LP**

"I figured you would have something like that. Oh well, that means my Cyber Phoenix can't attack" the Kaiser said, as his Phoenix stopped charging it's attack. "I set one card, and end my turn. You're up."

 **RYOU: 4000 LP**

"Heh~ Then I draw!" Shin stated, adding a new card to his hand. As he did, his D.D. Capsule card gained a counter.

 **Different Dimension Capsule x1**

Shin glanced at the card he drew, and smirked.

"Just what I needed. I activate the Spell Card, LV UP!" Shin declared, as Horus became enveloped in a soft glow. "With it, I send Horus LV4 to the GY and it's stead I summon Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV **6**!"

Horus turned transparent, as the outlines began making Horus' frame bigger and bulkier. The glow of the monster then disappeared, as the new monster roared.

 **Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV6 (2300/1600)**

"But that's not all! Just like Cyebr Dragon, Horus LV6 was a Special Summon, meaning I can Normal Summon one more monster! I summon, Element Dragon!" the dual haired teen grinned, as his new dragon appeared on the field.

 **Element Dragon -LV4- (1500/1200)**

"And now, Element Dragon's effect activates! Because I have a FIRE type monster on my field -aka Horus- Element Dragon get's an extra 500 ATK!"

From Horus, an aura of flames appeared, which transferred over to Element Dragon, adding to it's ATK.

 **Element Dragon 1500 → 2000 ATK**

"Hehe, time for Cyber Dragon to go! Horus, attack Cyber Dragon!" Shin ordered, as his monster charged up a ball of black flames in it's beak.

And without further notice, Horus launched the fireball straight at Ryou's Cyber Dragon. Shin expected Ryou's face down to flip up, but the attack continued undeterred and collided with Cyber Dragon, destroying it.

 **RYOU: 4000 → 3800 LP**

"Now it's time for Element Dragon to finish off your Phoenix!" Shin declared, as Element Dragon sent a fireball toward the mechanical bird.

Once again, the attack continued without a hitch, and Ryou's monster got blown to smithereens.

 **RYOU: 3800 → 3000 LP**

"That's pretty much it for my turn~" Shin smiled, ending his turn. "Hope that's not all you have to offer Ryou-chan~"

Chuckling slightly, Ryou drew his card and looked up at his opponent.

"Oh don't worry. I can assure you this current situation won't stand" he smirked, glancing at his cards. "But that will have to wait a little while longer. I set two cards and end my turn."

 **RYOU: 3000 LP**

' _Seriously?'_ Shin questioned in his own mind, recognizing this move as something he himself did in his duel with Pegasus. Now, Shin didn't know whether Ryou actually had a plan, or was just bluffing to set Shin off track. _'Gonna have to tread a little more carefully...'_

"Mu turn again! I draw!" Shin stated, drawing his new card. As he did, D.D. Capsule gained it's final counter, and opened up to release the card sealed inside it.

"Since this is my second Standby phase, D.D. Capsule let's me add another card to my hand" he said, as he took the card out from the special slot on his Disk. "And here's the card I sealed away! Activate, Future Fusion!"

As the card rose up on the field, Ryou's eyes narrowed slightly. HE now recognized a certain similarity, between his own deck and Shin's. However to the Kaiser, this meant he had an idea to what Shin was going to play next.

"I send Red Eyes B. Dragon and Meteor Dragon to the GY, in order to Fusion Summon Meteor B. Dragon two turns from now" he explained, sending the two cards from his deck into the GY.

"But that doesn't mean I'm done" the boy grinned wide. "I activate my face down!"

' _There it is...'_ Ryou thought, seeing the card that flipped up was Call of the Haunted. _'Use Future Fusion to send strong monsters to the GY, and use that to bring one of them back, all the while having an even stronger monster ready to be summon in two turns. A good strategy to ensure you have a strong defense and offense at the same time.'_

"I Special Summon Red Eyes B. Dragon back from the GY!" Shin called, as the famous black Dragon appeared on the field, roaring loudly, causing Shin's eyes to open in surprise.

 **Red Eyes B. Dragon -LV7- (2400/2000)**

"Crap that was a little too loud" Shin mumbled, looking around nervously, causing Ryou to raise an eyebrow.

"Everything fine Shin?" he questioned, as the boy scratched the back of his head.

"U-Uh yeah. Just hope security didn't hear us" he admitted, before shaking his head and focusing back on the duel. "Anyway, since those two face downs of yours seem a little off, I'll tread carefully and do this! Activate, Inferno Blast!" he declared, pressing a button on his Disk, causing his face down to lift.

"If there's a Red Eyes B. Dragon on my field, I can activate this card to deal it's ATK points as damage straight to your LP!" he called, as Red Eyes charged a red fireball in it's mouth, which it launched to Ryou.

The Kaiser braced himself for the attack, and took it like the champ he is.

 **RYOU: 3000 → 600 LP**

As expected of the Kaiser, he was still standing firmly. Waving the smoke away from himself, he looked at Shin dead serious.

' _Even now...He really is different from the rest'_ he thought, deciding that Shin was still just as much of a threat in a duel, as he was before he passed out for two days. _'I thought it would be overkill, but it seriously seems to be the best possible move right now.'_

"Well, I was honestly expecting more Ryou-chan" Shin mumbled, a little disappointed. "I guess even the best have bad days~" he shrugged, taking another card from his hand and placing it on his Disk. "I summon, Masked Dragon in ATK mode!" he declared, as yet another dragon took it's place on the field.

 **Masked Dragon -LV3- (1400/1100)**

"Better luck next time Ryou-chan~ Masked Dragon, attack Ryou directly!" Shin ordered, as his monster charged a fireball in it's mouth.

A mere second later, the dragon launched it's attack at Ryou. As the fireball neared Ryou, it seemed as if Shin had won the duel against the best student at the academy, without even taking a single point of damage.

Inside the Dorms, the students had been watching everything unfold with mouths agape. The Kaiser, the top student at the academy, someone who even the lucky kid Judai didn't stand a chance against, seemed to be dominated by Shin throughout the duel.

The Obelisks couldn't believe this. Most of them were in complete shock, that their top student was about to lose to a complete newcomer. Manjoume specifically, couldn't believe his eyes. Every day, Shin seemed to make his life worse. If it was bad before, as Asuka spent a whole lot of time with Ryou, but if Shin became the new 'Kaiser' his chances to be together with her would be absolutely null.

Speaking of, the girl wasn't even in her room anymore.

As soon as she saw who was dueling, she jumped out of bed and got her clothes on. She then rushed out of the Dorm, and toward the Duel Arena, ready to teach Shin a lesson in obedience.

As for the rest of the students, the Yellow Dorm was just about as stunned as the Obelisks, however they were actually happy, because Shin was part of their dorm, meaning it would be the Ra Dorm that would be housing the new Kaiser.

A similar situation was in the Red Dorm, as Shin used to be a part of it just last week. Out of everyone however, Judai seemed the most excited for what was about to happen. The Kaiser was really about to lose? If Shin managed to beat Ryou, Sho could potentially gain some boost of confidence.

.

.

.

However, things weren't actually as they seemed.

"Sorry Shin, but I'm not finished yet!" Ryou declared, as he pressed a button on his Duel Disk, causing one of his face downs to flip up. "I activate, Negate Attack!"

Masked Dragon's attack was stopped short, by the vortex that appeared before Ryou. The attack was quickly swallowed.

"Dang" Shin grinned. "To be honest, I should've seen that one coming. Looks like the two days of being unconscious still haven't been fixed completely~" he said, scratching the back of his head while sticking his tongue out childishly.

"I don't usually boast, but I haven't gained the title of 'Kaiser' for no reason" Ryou grinned, looking at Shin with slight excitement. "But I will give this to you. You are the first to actually give me a challenge. You are definitely an adversary to watch out for."

"Oh, to be praised by the Kaiser~" Shin cooed whilst hugging himself. "I feel so special~"

"Heh. I wouldn't be so happy if I were you" Ryou stated, crossing his arms. "Because on my next turn you will see exactly what my deck is capable of"

"Oh come on" Shin waved him off. "What's the worst it can do? OTK me? I end my turn" Shin joked, looking at Ryou.

However, Shin's smirk vanished instantly upon seeing Ryou's victorious expression. There was also a very familiar feeling in Shin's stomach.

'...Fuck" he stated simply, as Ryou chuckled.

 **SHIN: 6100 LP**

"Seems you figured it out" he said, drawing his next card. "Sorry Shin, but this is the end." pressing a button to reveal one of his face downs, Ryou's turn began.

The final turn, had begun. And Shin realized this.

"First, I activate my Trap! Metal Reflect Slime!" Ryou declared, as the giant slime appeared on his field.

 **Metal Reflect Slime -LV10- (0/3000)**

"Next, I activate the Spell, Metamorphosis!" with the activation of the card, Ryou's slime began transforming, causing Shin to pale.

"Awww….shit" he mumbled, making Ryou chuckle once more.

"From your face, I can tell you know what this card does. But let me explain once more" he stated, as the Metal Reflect Slime began to take the form of a very known monster in Ryou's deck. Rather...his Extra Deck.

"When I activate this card, sacrifice my Metal Reflect Slime in order to Special Summon a Fusion Monster that has the same level!" Ryou declared, causing Shin to pale further. "I Special Summon, Cyber End Dragon!"

With Ryou's command, the slime finally took form, having transformed itself into Ryou's Ace, the three headed mechanical dragon.

 **Cyber End Dragon -LV10- (4000/2800)**

"At least I still have some monsters to defend my LP..." Shin mumbled to himself, but Ryou heard it.

"Sorry Shin but there's no escape from this" he said, activating his final face down. "I activate, Lighting Vortex!"

"Shit-!" Shin cursed, as Ryou discarded one card and called forth a rain of lightning bolts that eradicated all of his monsters, leaving him wide open.

"And to put the nail on the coffin. I activate, Limiter Removal!" Ryou stated, playing the final card of the duel. "Now, Cyber End's ATK doubles for this turn only!"

 **Cyber End Dragon 4000 → 8000 ATK**

"Even the best have bad days, right?" Ryou smirked as he quoted Shin, making a sweatdrop appear on the boys face.

' _Why do I keep jinxing myself…?'_ Shin wondered, as Cyber End began charging it's attack.

"You were good Shin. But not good enough" Ryou stated, as he raised his hand. "Cyber End Dragon, attack Shin directly and end the duel! **Eternal Evolution Burst!** " he commanded, as the monster reared all three of it's heads, before releasing the same attack that finished Judai just the other day.

' _Heh...A fitting end isn't it?'_ Shin grinned lightly, as the attack landed in his face, depleting all of his LP in one fell swoop.

 **SHIN: 6100 → 0 LP**

 **WINNER: RYOU!**

This was the power of the Kaiser. To win the duel with a 'One Turn Kill'.

Everyone that had been watching the duel, was left speechless. Once more, the Kaiser had demonstrated his skills. First Judai, and now Shin. None of them could even hope to win against him.

With Shin's loss, the Red and Yellow Dorm's moods dropped slightly, as their star student didn't become the Kaiser, thus the Obelisks were still the ones holding the reigns.

As for the Obelisk students, they were relieved that their star student still held his title, and wouldn't lose it to some newcomer like Shin.

' _Thank goodness..'_ Manjoume sighed, happy that Shin didn't win. This gave him some hope. Though this duel Manjoume saw that Shin could actually lose, meaning he still had a chance to beat him. Either because he was still fatigued, or his skill really pales in comparison to Ryou, he didn't know. But he did know that his chance was now. And he wouldn't miss it. _'Tonight. Tonight is when you and I settle scores, Shin.'_

"Aww, man! I thought Shin totally had that duel in the bag!" Judai exclaimed, slumping backward on his bed. "Ryou really is something else, if even Shin got OTK'd."

"Of course Aniki. He's the best student at the academy for a reason" Sho said, before looking back at his PDA. "Even still, Ryou has never been this close to losing before. Even during your duel" he mumbled.

"That Shin kid really is something else huh?" Hayato noted from his bed, before returning to his sleep.

' _We both lost, huh Shin? Now we really have a reason to see who's better out of the two of us~'_ Judai grinned in his mind, thinking on what was going to happen when they duel.

"Aniki, we should probably get ready to get to the Arena" Sho said, getting Judai's attention. "Our Punishment Duel will start soon."

"You're right, you're right" Judai sighed, jumping out of his bed. "Hey, how much you want to bet that when we get there we'll see Asuka lecturing Shin?" he grinned, as he put on his shoes.

"I think from what we saw last night, that's definitely what we'll see" he laughed, sweatdropping lightly.

"Yeah~" Judai laughed in agreement.

Back on the Arena, the clouds of smoke had finally began clearing up, revealing Shin lying on his back.

"Shin? Are you alright?" Ryou called, a little worried that what happened two days ago just repeated itself.

Fortunately, Shin hand sprang right up as the boy gave Ryou a thumbs up.

"I'm A-Okay!" he declared, quickly springing back to his feet, dusting himself off. "Man, it always sucks to taste the dust of defeat" he mumbled, rubbing the top of his head.

"It sounds like you're familiar with it" Ryou laughed, as the two walked to the center of the Arena.

"May not look like it from what happened at the academy these two weeks, but I have a really looong loss record back home~" Shin admitted sheepishly, causing Ryou to smile.

"You're right there, it certainly didn't feel like it during our duel~ I can honestly say you're one of the few people who actually gave me a true challenge" he stated, a hint of pride in his voice, making Shin blush.

"Oh, you're just saying that~!" he said, scratching his cheek bashfully.

In the light atmosphere, both duelists had smiles on their faces as they shook hands. But then the door to the Arena slammed opened.

"SHIN-KUN!" a familiar female voice boomed, causing both Shin and Ryou to pale, both becoming overcome by fear.

 **And that's a wrap~**

 **I'm still alive! It's a miracle!**

 **I'm sorry you all had to wait so long for this update, but like I said on my profile, life is being a positive bitch right now. More often than not that I sit down at my desk and try to write a chapter, only to stare at it for hours because of writers block. Most of the time, I can't even bring myself to save what I wrote, because it's shit.**

 **AS it stands, I still can't promise that the next chapter will be posted soon. I am starting to get out of the writers block phase, so the chapter *may* be posted sooner than this one, but I can't guarantee anything.**

 **I hope you beautiful people understand.**

 **As always, hope you enjoyed, leave a review and tell me what you thought and excuse any mistakes. I'll try to fix them tomorrow**

 **For now, I hope you're all doing well~**

 **Seeya next chapter~**


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The Tag Punishment Duel

The time for Judai and Sho's Punishment Duel was nearing, and students began making their way to the Duel Arena.

However, the students weren't talking about the Punishment Duel. At least, not Judai's.

The current topic of discussion, was Shin's latest Duel against Kaiser Ryou, which the majority of the academy saw thanks to Samejima's unfamiliarity with modern tech.

Mostly Ra students kept talking about the Duel, almost as if to review it and find possible ways Shin could've won. Of course they wished Shin would've won, however even Shin couldn't stand a chance against the Kaiser's might.

However some students saw the duel as unfair, and attributed Shin's loss to him still being out of shape due to the two days he spent unconscious. However, as hard a truth as it was to swallow, even in peak condition Shin couldn't beat Ryou. Not yet at least.

Among the students were a few Obelisks as well, though they were mostly there to congratulate Ryou on his win, and partly to see Judai get expelled. Manjoume being among those students, however he still had some unsettled business with the Slifer which he wanted to finish right now.

' _I need to ask Chronos if I can be Judai's opponent. That way I can finally crush that slime and get rid of him. And then I'll come after Shin..'_ he thought, s slight smirk making it's way unto his face.

It didn't take long for the student's to arrive at the Duel Arena, however upon entering, they were greeted by a rather interesting sight.

In the middle of the arena, were Shin and Ryou. However, the curious thing was that they were both on their knees, slumped over and with a rather dark and depressing aura above them.

In front of the two, was Asuka. And the people soon realized what had happened, as they noticed the smoking harisen in the girl's hands, which were crossed over her bust. Her foot was tapping against the floor and her face displayed quite a range of emotions, none of which were good.

"I trust you both learned your lessons?" the blonde asked, staring down at the two young men with a burning gaze.

""...Hai..."" they both answered in unison, their voices being almost devoid of emotion.

"Shin." came her call, fixating the boy with a death stare, which made a light whimper escape his lips. "Lesson" she commanded, as Shin slumped over even further.

"...N-Never disobey A-Asuka-sama's orders..." he mumbled, tears welling up in his eyes, as his face displayed quite a large amount of fear.

With a sharp nod, Asuka's sight landed on Ryou, who flinched, but didn't show any other sign of weakness.

"Lesson" she commanded again, her voice so sharp it could cut through the two.

"...Never let Shin rope me into anything, without consulting Asuka-sama beforehand..." the Kaiser answered simply, without any emotion.

"Good. Now the final lesson?" Asuka inquired, as her gaze softened slightly. Shin and Ryou then bowed even further, and in unison replied.

""Never anger Asuka-sama!"" they declared, as Asuka nodded her head with a smile, putting the harisen away as they two boys breathed in relief.

"That's right boys" she responded, patting the two on the head, smiling as if nothing had ever happened.

The students that had been watching everything unfold, were left staring in shock. Even Manjoume was surprised, at seeing this side of Asuka. And every one of the students present had but one thought.

 _[She has them completely whipped!]_ they exclaimed, subconsciously memorizing the lesson Shin and Ryou just learned. To never anger Asuka.

They then watched as Asuka told Shin and Ryou to stand up, before taking Shin's hand and dragging him toward the stands as the boy trudged behind her like a marionette.

And as the couple left, Ryou also turned back and began heading toward the opposite side of the stands, while muttering a 'good luck Shin..'.

The observers stood motionless for a while, trying to figure out what exactly Asuka had done to the two. Few had some theories, but they were anything but pleasant, and they weren't far off.

On this day, Shin had learned that Asuka's word was law, and if he broke it again then there would be Hell to pay.

A while later, the spectators had finally dispersed to find a seat, most going as far away from Asuka as possible. Even Manjoume decided to stand clear of Asuka for now, not wanting to accidentally set off a bomb he didn't wish on his worst enemy. Yes, even Shin. And right now he felt slight pity for the fellow, and sort of reconsidered challenging him to a Duel tonight.

...Mostly due to being afraid of what **he** would go through if Asuka caught wind of it.

But he pushed those thoughts aside, as sat himself next to the entrance, waiting for Chronos and the other professors to arrive.

Back in the Slifer dorm, Judai and Sho had just finished getting ready, both themselves and their decks.

"Alright, I think we're ready to do this" Judai noted, standing up and looking at his short friend.

"Definitely! Let's win!" Sho agreed, determination clear in his eyes. Seeing this, Judai grinned.

"That's the spirit! Say, are you as excited as me? This will be our first Tag-Duel right?" he asked excitedly, as Hayato appeared from his bunk bed.

"It certainly helps that you won't get expelled anymore. Less pressure and more enjoying the duel right?" the koala fellow asked, to which Judai and Sho nodded.

"That's certainly true. If it wasn't for Shin, we'd still be facing expulsion" Judai stated, before glancing at Sho. "Let's not forget to thank him properly for saving our butts after our duel is over."

Sho nodded, as they prepared to leave.

"I'll be coming to cheer you on too" Hayato called, before his friends left. "May not be expulsion, but I still don't want you guys to have extra homework for three months. That means you'll be pulling all nighters and I won't be able to sleep!" he laughed, as Judai grinned his signature grin.

"Don't worry! Sho and I got this one in the bag! Seeya there Hayato" he said, before leaving with Sho in tow.

Back at the Duel Arena, everyone that was going to watch the Punishment Duel had settled into their respective seats.

At the entrance, professor Chronos appeared through the door, catching Manjoume's attention. Thus, he hurried down and called out to the professor.

"Prof. Chronos, wait!" he called as the teacher turned around with a raised eyebrow.

"What is it, Signore Manjoume? Time is ticking" Chronos answered, crossing his arms.

"Please, allow me to be Judai's opponent! I promise I'll crush the slime this time!" the Obelisks requested, but was met with refusal as Chronos shook his head.

"I'm afraid there will be no need for that, Signore Manjoume" Chronos responded, wagging his finger in front of the boy. "I have already called for a pair that should prove more than enough of a challenge for the two Slifers. After all, teamwork is the key to success in this duel, no ne? And the pair I chose happen to excel at teamwork" he grinned, before turning on his heel and walking back toward the teachers booth.

However, he did glance back at Manjoume, as he had some new for the Obelisk.

"Also, you should probably be more concerned about yourself. With your latest loss, against someone like Judai no less, you may very well end up being demoted to Ra Yellow. I suggest you tread carefully, Signore Manjoume" Chronos said, before going back on his way.

' _Damn...curse you Judai..!'_ Manjoume seethed, grinding his teeth together.

Miffed, he made his way back to the stands and plopped down into his seat, his expression remaining fixated into a scowl.

On the other side of the stands, was Misawa who had just arrived to watch the duel as well. He took a second to scan the seats, and quickly located Asuka and Shin, sitting curiously away from everyone else.

Disregarding the thought, he quickly made his way over to the pair, and took a seat next to the blonde girl.

"Looks like it's about to begin-" he noted, glancing at his two friends. Though he was surprised when he saw poor Shin rocking back and forth with a pale expression on his face. "-My goodness Shin, what happened to you?" he asked astounded.

"...W-Women...they are s-scary Misawa...d-demons, that's what they are..." he mumbled, still rocking back and forth.

"Uhh..." with a sweatdrop, Misawa glanced at Asuka, who still had her innocent smile on her face. "Asuka-san, what exactly happened to Shin?" he questioned.

"Oh, I just taught him and Ryou a lesson they ought to never forget~ I take it you saw the duel this morning as well?" she asked, to which the boy nodded slowly. "Well, I **explicitly** told Shin stay away from duels for a while, but as you saw this morning he ignored me, so I took upon myself to discipline him. Isn't that right, Shin-kun~?" she asked sweetly, gently patting Shin on the head.

However that action caused Shin to turn rigid with fear again, as he shakily nodded his head.

"Y-Yes, A-Asuka-sama...Shin has l-learned his lesson, A-Asuka-sama..." he responded, sweating bullets. Satisfied, Asuka turned back to Misawa with her ever-so-sweet smile, making even him slightly lean back in his chair.

"See, Misawa-kun? Shin will now behave~" she said.

"Will...will he be okay?" the Ra student questioned, worried for his friends sanity. Well, whatever seemed to be left of it anyway. Not that it was much to begin with..

"Oh, he'll be fine" Asuka waved him off, glancing at Shin. "He'll spring right back to his usual self in a minute, like he always does" she chuckled slightly, as Misawa released a relieved breath.

"Well that's certainly true.." he mumbled, looking at the Duel Field. "First it was Shin, and now it's Judai's turn. It feels like it's just one thing after the other, doesn't it?"

"Yeah...and it's my fault all of this happened" she mumbled, looking at the Field as well. "I should've been Judai's partner in this duel."

"I don't think that would've worked out, Asuka-chan" Shin suddenly said, returning to his usual self in an instant, surprising both Asuka and Misawa. "You may be skilled, but there's a certain chemistry that needs to be present in a Tag Duel."

"What do you mean Shin?" Misawa inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not just the Decks, but the duelists need to be in sync as well" Shin explained, showing a contemplating face, before glancing at the blonde beauty. "Both you and Judai are head strong. The leader type, so to speak. That doesn't work in a Tag team"

"And you're saying that Sho being Judai's partner is better?" Asuka asked, curious as to what Shin was talking about.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Both of them are close friends, and Sho obviously admires Judai very much. That means he's also more likely to follow Judai's lead. While I'm not saying he should just go with whatever Judai's saying, this is a good opportunity for Sho to get the push he needs" he explained, before crossing his hands behind his head. "Then again, that's just what I think. I may be wrong, who knows?"

"We'll just have to see how the duel pans out, won't we?" Misawa surmised, earning a nod from Shin.

"That we do Misawa-chan" he mumbled, leaning back into his seat and waiting for Judai and Sho to show up.

And it didn't take long for the Slifers to show up.

As they entered the Arena, Sho couldn't help but notice all the people that have gathered.

"We're going to be dueling in front of all these people?" he mumbled, beginning to feel under pressure. But Judai made sure to calm his partner down by patting his shoulder.

"Don't worry Sho! Everything will be just fine. Besides, this just gets me fired up!" he chuckled, ruffling Sho's hair and going on ahead, followed by the short boy soon after.

Back in the stands, Manjoume began gritting his teeth as soon as he saw Judai. He even kicked the seat in front of him in frustration.

"Judai..." he growled, clenching his fist. "I wanted to crush you with my own hands…!"

As they reached the stage, Judai noticed Hayato who just arrived in the stands.

"Hey, Hayato showed up after all" he noted, looking at his big friend who tried his best to catch his breath from running. Judai then waved to him, before going to take is place on the field.

Before he could join him, Sho noticed someone else in the stands. Namely, his brother Kaiser Ryou.

' _Use this duel to show me what you're capable of as a duelist, Sho'_ Ryou thought as the two brothers locked eyes for a moment.

' _Big brother…_ ' Sho mumbled in his mind, before following Judai's example and taking his spot on the field. _'Watch me, brother!'_

"Now, the Tag-Team Duel will begin!" Chronos announced, raising his hand high in the air.

"And who will they be dueling, professor Chronos?" asked principal Samejima, who was leaning over the stands. "Will it be teachers or Obelisk students, like Shin did during his duel?" he questioned. "Or are you proposing to duel them yourself?"

Chronos's sweatdropped at all the questions, before turning toward the excited principal.

"I'm afraid none of those option are fitting for this duel, Principal. Since these two will be a Tag Team, they will have to duel opponents who are suited for this task!" he explained, raising his finger.

"oh? And…?" the principal leaned further, little stars appearing around him.

"For today's duel...I have brought in legendary duelists!" he declared, surprising the audiences.

"Legendary Duelists?" Misawa questioned, as if he didn't hear it properly. "Is he really allowed to pit legendary duelists against those two?"

"I don't think so" Asuka mumbled, slightly narrowing her eyes. "Having to face someone know as a 'legendary duelist' is too much for mere first years, not matter how you look at it" she said, before she and Misawa heard a sigh from the boy next to them.

"Come one you two, have a little faith" Shin said, waving his hand. "Those two didn't have Seto-chan picking their opponent. **That** would really be a 'legendary duelist'" he said, grabbing a cup of soda from nowhere. "What's the worst Chronos can do? Make them face the Paradox Brothers? Ha" he laughed, bringing the cup to his lips and taking a sip.

"Now, I bring to you!" Chronos suddenly exclaimed, as two shadows jumped on the field.

They then proceeded to flip around on the field for a few moments, before landing behind Judai. As they stood up, people eyes opened up in recognition.

"We are the wandering Guardians!" one of the two said, followed by the other.

"WE are the Paradox Brothers!" he declared, shocking some of those present.

 ***PFFFFFFF-!***

One of those people was Shin, who immediately spit out his drink in shock.

"*cough* *cough* W-What!" he shouted wide eyed, coughing hard as Asuka patted him on the back.

"Hey, that was like one of those Hong Kong movies!" Judai exclaimed, a big smile on his face. Sho on the other hand, wasn't so keen.

"Are those the guys we have to fight?" he mumbled to himself, as Chronos appeared behind them.

"Those two are legendary duelists who once fought the King of Duelists, Yugi Muto" Chronos boasted, smirking at the Slifer students.

"The King of Duelists?" Sho mumbled in shock, looking at the smirking brothers Para and Dox.

"I've heard of them before" Asuka said, as Shin finally stopped coughing. "Those two used unstoppable combinations to make the King of Duelists stuffer..." she mumbled, before a foot suddenly slammed on the railing in front of her.

"Hey, that's overkill!" Shin shouted at Chronos, clenching his fist hard. "You can't pit certified Pros against Novices! That's not fair in the slightest-!" his complaint was suddenly stopped as Asuka pulled him back down from the railing, seating him back on his seat before he could make an even bigger scene.

Shin's outburst certainly took everyone by surprise, though he did speak what was on most people's minds. Minus those like Manjoume, who actually enjoyed the current predicament.

' _Actually, this is perfect'_ Manjoume smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Suffer an unsightly loss in front of everyone Judai Yuki" he mumbled, closing his eyes.

' _Oh man this isn't good'_ Hayato thought, worrying for his friends.

Ryou simply kept watching, seemingly unfazed by the events unfolding.

"Hmm, your friends is most certainly right" Para told the two Slifer students. "And while we bear you on ill will..."

"We still have our own reasons for fighting you" Dox finished his brothers sentence.

"The gate before you shall remain closed..."

"Unless you can defeat us!" the two brothers struck a pose, before exclaiming in unison.

""Now, let us duel!""

Although the display was rather hilarious, both Judai and Sho had a few beads of sweat rolling down their faces, which made Chronos chuckle to himself.

' _Shaking in their boots..!'_ he thought, grinning wildly.

"Shin is right, this is quite the radical move professor Chronos" Samejima said, now at the foot of the Duel arena. "These two are the real deal."

"B-But principal" Chronos said, trying to find the right words to persuade Samejima to allow the duel. "These two are the only ones suited to deliver the right punishment for what those slackers did! We need to make an example for the other students!" he tried, as Samejima nodded his head in thought.

"Hmm, I see" he said, looking back up at Chronos with a smile. "Alright then, I'll allow it. Shin managed to win his duels after all, so those two aren't in any danger anyway" he smiled, making Chronos remember that they wouldn't be expelled, even if they lost. And that thought made him cringe. "Good luck you two" he encouraged, before returning to his seat.

' _That's right...I forgot Signore Shin managed to foil my plans once again. If only he wasn't there to save those slackers every time!'_ he grumbled in his mind, returning to the Duelists.

"Oh man this is sweet!" Judai exclaimed, stars appearing in his eyes. "I get to duel someone who face Yugi Muto! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!" he said happily.

"Well, anyway..." Chronos mumbled, his whole mood dropping considerably seeing that his plan would not come to fruition. He then walked toward the middle of the arena and raised his arm.

"Everyone, take your places!" he called, as the Tag Teams went to their respective sides of the field, the audience cheering on.

Judai glanced at Sho, before taking a big breathe and raising a thumbs up.

"It's time Sho. I'll be counting on you!" he grinned, thrusting his thumbs up at his Partner, who smiled in return. Chronos then began explaining the rules.

"You may not give any advice to your tag-team partner! However, you may use any card your partner has already placed on the field. But you may not use your partners monsters to attack." he said, glancing at the two teams. "Furthermore, both teams have a combined 8000 LP and no one is allowed to attack on their first turn. Understood?" seeing no protests, he nodded his head.

"Now then! If both parties are ready! Let the duel, begin!" Chronos declared, starting the Tag Duel.

[DUEL!] all four shouted in unison, drawing their respective hands.

 **Para/Dox: 8000 LP**

 **Judai/Sho: 8000 LP**

Once everyone drew their cards, Judai glanced at his for a moment, before looking at Sho and giving him a nod, signaling him to go first. With a nod of his own, Sho took a card and placed it on his Duel Disk.

"I summon Gyroid in ATK mode!" he called, as a cartoonish helicopter appeared on the field.

 **Gyroid -LV3- (1000/1000)**

"I end my turn" Sho said, as Para drew his sixth card.

 **Judai/Sho: 8000 LP**

"It is my turn now! I summon Jirai Gumo in ATK mode!" on the brother's field, a giant demonic spider appeared.

 **Jirai Gumo -LV4- (2200/100)**

"I now end my turn" Para said, crossing his arms.

"A Level 4 Monster with 2200 ATK right off the bat?" Asuka mumbled surprised, not having seen such a thing too often.

"It's rare, but these things can happen with the right Archetype and deck" Misawa said, studying the duel field carefully, trying to think of possible strategies the Paradox brothers may be using.

"Though those monsters are usually either not worth summoning, plain beat sticks, or have a catch to them" Shin explained, having seen his fair share of cards through the years. "Jirai Gumo for example is a monster who has a catch that makes it almost not worth summoning, except for stalling and blocking."

"And what's that catch?" Asuka asked glancing at Shin.

"If you were to attack with Jirai Gumo, you first need to toss a coin. If you call it wrong, you lose half of your LP" Misawa answered before Shin, surprising Asuka.

"But it still has other uses for the brothers" Shin said, as the three focused back on the duel at hand, where Judai started his turn.

"I summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in DEF mode!" Judai announced, as the female Hero in red suit appeared on the field. She then crouched on her card and crossed her arms as a shield.

 **E-HERO Burstinatrix -LV3- (1200/800)**

"Turn end."

"Then it's my turn!" Dox declared, drawing his card. Without skipping a beat, he placed a monster card on his Duel Disk. "I summon Kaiser Sea Horse in ATK mode!"

In front of Dox, a creature wearing purple colored armor and holding a golden double sided spear.

 **Kaiser Sea Horse -LV4- (1700/1650)**

' _Since it's the first turn, no one can attack yet'_ Sho thought, narrowing his eyes slightly. _'That means the next turn is when the battle begins.'_

"My turn isn't over yet!" Dox declared, grabbing a card from his hand and inserting it in the disk. "I activate the spell, Tribute Doll!" he declared, as the card flipped up. And from it, a bunch of black hair-like tendrils appeared and wrapped themselves around Jirai Gumo.

The brothers exchanged a silent nod, before Jirai Gumo was destroyed. Dox then returned his sight on the field.

"When this card is activated, I must tribute a monster in order to summon a Level 7 monster from my hand that can be Normal Summoned. And I choose to summon Kazejin!" he announced, as gusts of wind ripped through the arena.

And among those winds a monster appeared. A green monster consisting of a torso and hands, bearing the Kanji for 'wind' on it's body.

 **Kazejin -LV7- (2400/2200)**

"He sacrificed his partner's Monster to bring out a stronger, more useful one" Misawa said, seeing the brother's teamwork at play.

"Such teamwork, on the very first turn..." Asuka mumbled impressed.

Shin however, wasn't sharing the feeling.

"What did you expect? They've been tagging for years now" he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "At this point, their decks play themselves. Those are just there to activate the cards."

"Then that means it will be even harder for Judai and Sho to win" Misawa surmised, only for Shin to shake his head.

"Actually, it means they've become predictable" he stated, making Misawa and Asuka raise an eyebrow. "Come on, Misawa. Just take a look at their field. It's not hard to realize they're trying to bring out the Gate Guardian."

"The Gate Guardian? Isn't that the same monster they used against Yugi Muto?" Asuka asked, Shin nodding with a grin.

"Exactly~" he asnwered. They then heard Misawa hum, whilst cupping his chin in his hand.

"Gate Guardian. A Level 11 monster with 3750 ATK and 3400 DEF" he mumbled, glancing at Shin. "That monster is normally quite hard to summon under normal circumstances."

"However, this is a Tag Duel" Asuka said. "This time, it's two decks working together, instead of just one. And like Shin-kun said, these two have tuned their decks to work perfectly in sync."

"You're right" Misawa glanced back at the duel field where he saw Sho try to attack Para directly with his Fusion monster Steam Gyroid, due to him not having any of his own monsters to protect him, only to have Dox stop him with Kazejin's special effect. "Looks like Sho forgot to check if Kazejin had any special effects."

"A pity, but I don't think Sho had any cards to help him with that regardless. And now when Para's turn comes around, he'll certainly summon the remaining two of the trio and bring out Gate Guardian."

"And how do you think he'll do that, Shin-kun?" Asuka asked curiously.

"Plenty of ways" Shin answered simply, before elaborating. "Mausoleum of the Emperor, for example is a good card to use in this situation."

"Because of their shared LP?" Misawa guessed, earning a nod from Shin.

"That card allows you to summon high level monsters at the cost of your LP, doesn't it?" the queen of Obelisk asked her pseudo/ pretend boyfriend that no one knew about yet, receiving another nod in return. "So that's why. With all those LP, they could easily summon Suijin or Sanga, and still have plenty of LP remaining."

"That's right-" Shin started, but stopped upon seeing Para bring back Jirai Gumo using Monster Reborn. "-Or they can do that..."

"What?" Asuka looked back on the Duel Field, as the Paradox brothers began the preparation for Gate Guardian's summon.

Back on the field…

 **Para/Dox: 8000 LP Kaiser Sea Horse ATK 1700, Kazejin ATK 2400**

 **Judai/Sho: 8000 LP Burstinatrix DEF 800, Steam Gyroid ATK 2200**

"Now that I have Jirai Gumo back on the field, I activate another Tribute Doll!" Para declared, as the same black tendrils wrapped around Jirai Gumo, destroying it once more. "Using Tribute Doll, I sacrifice Jirai Gumo in order to summon Suijin!"

As Jirai Gumo burst into pixels again, a new monster appeared in it's stead. Suijin, a blue monster that appeared to miss it's upper half.

 **Suijin -LV7- (2500/2400)**

"However, that wasn't all" Para smirked, glancing at his brother. "Allow me to use some of your power brother."

"Feel free big brother" Dox agreed, reciprocating Para's smirk.

Kaiser Sea Horse then became enveloped in a dark aura, as Para took another card from his hand.

"Using Kaiser Sea Horse's effect, I used it as two tributes to summon Sanga of the Thunder!" he declared, as Kaiser Sea Horse disappeared and lightning rained down, from which the final of the element trio appeared.

 **Sanga of the Thunder -LV7- (2600/2200)**

"When summoning a Light-Attribute monster, Kaiser Sea Horse counts as two tributes" Para explained, making Sho gasp and take step back.

Back in the stands, Misawa was impressed once more.

"They summoned all three elementals so effortlessly...Looks like you were right Shin. Their decks really are tuned to perfection" he said, as Shin narrowed his eyes slightly.

"It's not over yet. Here comes the boss…!" he said, watching on as Para took one more card from his hand.

"Now, I tribute Sanga, Kazejin and Suijin in order to summon the great Gate Guardian!" he announced, as all three of their monsters floated in the air.

They then attached themselves to one another, with Sanga acting as the upper body, Kazejin acting as the mid-section and Suijin becoming the lower half. The assembled monster then landed on the field, shaking the ground as it did.

 **Gate Guardian -LV11- (3750/3400)**

""Gate...Guardian?"" Judai and Sho mumbled in unison, staring in awe at the giant monster staring them down.

"Now, Gate Guardian! Attack Steam Gyroid! **Demon god Shockwave!** " he commanded, as the monster gathered a mass of electrified water in front of it, which it launched at Sho's monster.

Of course, due to the large difference in strength, Steam Gryoid didn't stand a chance against the attack and was soon blown away and destroyed. The attack then continued all the way to Sho, depleting his LP.

 **Judai/Sho: 8000 → 6450 LP**

"Did you see that?" Para gloated, followed by his brother.

"This is what Tag Dueling is all about!" he exclaimed triumphantly.

"Steam Gyroid was beaten just like that..." Sho mumbled, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. Meanwhile Chronos couldn't be more pleased.

' _The essence of Tag Dueling is making the team crumble by taking out the weak link'_ he smirked happily. _'The drop out boy is surprisingly tenacious, however Signore Marufuji isn't nearly as strong willed.'_

"Are you okay Sho?" Judai asked his partner, who nodded.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine..." he said, looking down at the ground. _'I wish I could help Big Bro, but against that thing...Maybe I am just dragging him down.'_

AS he glanced at Judai however, Sho saw no fear whatsoever on his face. In fact, he looked excited.

"Man that monster is awesome! I've never seen anything like it" he smirked, getting pumped. "Did the King of Duelists face this monster too? I'm getting pumped just thinking about it! He exclaimed, preparing to draw his card.

"My turn now! I draw!" he stated, drawing his card confidently. Looking at the Polymerization card he drew, brought a smirk on Judai's face.

"First, I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in DEF mode!" he said, as the giant Hero appeared on his field in a defensive stance.

 **E-HERO Clayman -LV4- (800/2000)**

"Then I activate the Spell card, Polymerization! And with it I fuse Clayman and Burstinatrix!"

The two monsters then became absorbed within the familiar vortex and out of it appeared a female version of Clayman with more armor, a gun for a hand and wielding a red shield in the other hand.

"Appear, Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster!" Judai announced as the monster landed on her card in DEF mode.

 **E-HERO Rampart Blaster -LV6- (2000/2500)**

"Another Elemental Hero Fusion...But it still doesn't have enough power to beat Gate Guardian, Big Bro!" Sho told his partner, who grinned in response.

"It doesn't need to. I activate Rampart Blaster's effect!" he said, as the monster pointed her gun at the Paradox brothers. "While Rampart Blaster is face up on the field in DEF mode, it can attack my opponents directly, but the damage is cut in half" he explained, surprising the duelists.

""What?!"" they both exclaimed, as Judai ordered the attack.

"Go, Rampart Blaster! **Rampart Shot!** " he ordered, as the monster shot a handful of rockets at the brothers, creating an explosion afterward.

 **Para/Dox: 8000 → 7000 LP**

"Kuh-!" Para grit his teeth, as the smoke cleared from his face.

"Not bad at all..." Dox praised, though he too was gritting his teeth.

"Nice Big Bro!" Sho exclaimed happily, as Judai gave a peace sign.

"No biggie~" he said with his usual grin. "I end my turn" he stated, as the two Slifers focused on their opponents again, Sho's expression becoming a serious one.

' _Right, if Big Bro managed to do it, then I can do it too! I need to rise to the challenge and make sure I'm useful!'_ Sho thought with renewed determination.

 **Judai/Sho: 6450 LP**

"Hm! Then it's my turn again. I draw!" Dox stated, drawing his card."I activate the Equip Spell card, Fairy Meteor Crush!" he stated, as the card flipped up on the field. "Now, a monster that's equipped with this card deals Piercing Damage when attacking a monster in DEF mode!"

"Not gonna let that happen!" Sho declared strongly, activating his facedown card. "I'll finally be useful to Big Bro! Activate, Magical Space Typhoon!"

A small tornado then appeared from Sho's card, and began heading toward Gate Guardian.

"This card allows me to destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field! And I choose Fairy Meteor Crush!" Sho exclaimed, causing Dox's eyes to widen.

"Think again!" Para suddenly exclaimed, as his own face down card flipped up. "Activate counter-trap, Judgment of Anubis!" he announced, as Sho gasped in surprise and took a step back. "When this card is activated, I can discard one card from my hand to negate one of my opponents Spell or Trap card that targets to destroy one of our cards."

"No way!" Sho exclaimed, as his card burst into pixels and the tornado dissipated before it reached Gate Guardian.

"But not only that, it also allows me to destroy one of monsters, as well as deal damage equal to it's ATK!" he declared, shocking Judai and Sho as Rampart Blaster exploded into pixels, dealing damage to them as well.

 **Judai/Sho: 6450 → 4450 LP**

"Heh" Para grinned, seeing their LP go down. Then, as it was still his turn, Dox placed one more card on his Duel Disk.

"Finally, I place Defense Wall in DEF mode" he said, as bricks started assembling into a monster in front of him.

 **Defense Wall -LV4- (0/2100)**

"Now, when this monster is in face up DEF position, all of your monsters must target **it** for their attack!" he explained, as Chronos laughed some more in the back ground while the rest of the spectators stared in awe at the combo.

"Gate Guardian for offense and Defense Wall for defense...These two really don't skip a beat, do they?" Misawa mumbled, staring at the field. Asuka nodded her head in agreement.

"I guess they aren't called legendary Duelists for nothing...Their Tag Duel skills far exceed Judai and Sho's.."

While Asuka and Misawa seemingly only saw the dark side of the situation, Shin tried to find a way to reach the positive one. And with a little bit of thinking, he managed to think of a way.

' _Heh. I guess now it's a good thing Judai and I went to the Card Shop that day after all'_ he grinned lightly, before looking at the field, where Sho summoned Cycroid to defend their LP. _'It's not gonna help against Fairy Meteor Crush Sho. Those measly 1000 DEF points aren't going to do anything...'_

Proven by Para, as he attacked Sho's monster with Gate Guardian as soon as he drew his card, destroying the poor monster in seconds and inflicting some more damage to Sho and Judai.

 **Judai/Sho: 4450 → 1700 LP**

As their LP dropped, so did Sho who fell to his knees after the attack.

""No one can defeat the Paradox brothers!"" the two brothers declared, striking a pose as the smoke cleared from Judai and Sho's side of the field.

Up in the stands, Misawa and Asuka looked on as their friends stood motionless on the field a monster with almost 400 ATK staring them down and only 1700 LP remaining.

"I guess this is as far as they go, huh?" Misawa mumbled leaning back in his chair. "Taking on the Paradox brothers in a first time Tag Duel was too much for them after all."

"In a Tag Duel the strength of each duelist and how they can cooperate is essential" Asuka said, also believing this is a far as the two Slifers go. "An impromptu Tag Team can't stand up to professional Tag duelists..." she said releasing a breath

 **WHACK**

That was, until they were both slapped on the forehead by a harisen of all things, courtesy of Shin, surprisingly.

"If you two are giving up on them already then go somewhere else. You're spoiling the mood with your pessimism, you non-believers!" Shin exclaimed, crossing his arms and looking back to the Field.

"Ow.." Misawa and Asuka rubbed their foreheads, before looking at Shin. "What else can they do though?" Misawa asked. "They're staring at a monster with 3750 ATK and the ability to induce Piercing Damage. I don't know of any Elemental Hero Judai could use to beat Gate Guardian."

"And Sho-kun doesn't use Cyber Dragon's, so he can't summon Cyber End Dragon" Asuka added, making Shin shake his head slightly.

"Tsk tsk" he clicked his tonge, wagging his finger at the two. "While you're right about that, there are still other cards that can help them" he said, glancing at his two friends. "I know for a fact that both Judai and Sho have a card that win them the duel. They just have to draw it."

"I sure hope you're right" Asuka said, looking at field, where Judai and Sho seemed to finally pick themselves up.

In the meanwhile, with Judai and Sho…

"He's quite persistent isn't he?" Dox said, seeing Judai unfazed by their situation.

"Even after all that happened he refuses to give up" Para mumbled in agreement, while Judai smiled.

"As long as I have cards in my deck, this duel isn't over!" Judai said, looking at the Paradox brothers determined. "That' that the King of Duelists always said, right?"

"Humph! But what about your partner?" Para grinned, looking at Sho.

Following the line of sight, Judai noticed Sho looking dejected, as if he had already given up.

"Come on Sho, we can't give up now" Judai encouraged his friends, though it didn't help much. "As duelists, we can't back down from a challenge! Besides" he then pointed at Gate Guardian. "You still have **that** card, don't you?"

It took a second for Sho to realize what Judai meant, but as soon as he did, his eyes widened. Then, with a determined expression, he nodded.

"Alright, let's win this Sho!" Judai stated with a grin, drawing his card. "My turn now!"

"And I'll start it off by summoning Elemental Hero Sparkman!" he declared, as the electrical hero appeared before him.

 **E-HERO Sparkman -LV4- (1600/1400)**

"Now, I activate the Equip Spell, Spark Blaster!" he said, shoving the card in the spell slot as a sparking gun appeared in Sparkman's hand. "Now, during my Main Phase I can use Spark Blaster's effect to switch one monster you control to DEF mode!" Judai explained, as the Paradox brothers opened their eyes wide.

"Gate Guardian switches to DEF mode!" the Slifer declared, as Sparkman used his gun to shoot and electrical current toward Gate Guardian, forcing it into DEF mode.

 **Gate Guardian DEF 3400**

"Then I end my turn with a face down!"

 **Judai/Sho: 1700 LP**

"I don't understand what the purpose of that move was" Dox told Judai. "Even in DEF mode, Gate Guardian is still too strong for you to vanquish."

"Anyway...I draw" he stated simply, drawing his card. "I set one card and end my turn" he said, taking a card and placing it into the Spell and Trap card slots.

"It's up to you now, elder brother" Dox said, glancing at Para. Said brother nodded his head.

"Don't worry brother. I'll finish this next turn!" he declared.

 **Para/Dox: 7000 LP**

It was now Sho's turn, however he hesitated. Negative thought entered his mind once more.

' _Can I really do this? We are only one attack away from losing...And even though we won't get expelled, Big Bro will still suffer the embarrassment of losing thanks to me...'_ he thought, furrowing his eyebrows.

Judai saw his partner's inner struggle, and decided to give some encouraging words.

"Don't think about what happens if we lose Sho" he said, making Sho look up at him. "Whether we lose or not doesn't matter anymore- thanks again by the way!" Judai suddenly turned to the audience, directing the last bit at Shin.

The boy simply grinned and gave them a thumbs up, receiving one form Judai as well.

"Anyway, what matters now is just to have fun!" he grinned, before turning slightly serious again. "I believe we can beat these guys. Do you?" he questioned, grinning at Sho.

The short boy was silent for a while, as he processed Judai's message.

' _Big Bro's right! No more thinking 'what ifs'! I need to believe in myself and focus on the present!'_ he declared in his mind, before looking back at Judai with a confident expression. "I believe too Big Bro! Let's win this!"

"That's the spirit Sho!" Judai exclaimed happily, seeing Sho finally believe in himself.

"Then it's my turn now!" Sho declared, looking at his deck. As he did, he remembered the card Judai spoke about. _'We need that card to win...'_ nodding to himself, Sho placed his hand on his deck and drew.

"I draw!" as he did, he saw what card it was a smiled. "Big Bro!" he looked over at Judai, who got the message and gave a nod.

"Go for it Sho!" he encouraged.

Nodding, Sho set the plan in motion.

"From my hand, I summon Drillroid in ATK mode!" he announced, as a cartoonish drill appeared on the field.

 **Drillroid -LV4- (1600/1600)**

"When Drillroid attacks a monster in DEF position, it can destroy it after damage calculation!" he explained, surprising the Paradox brothers. "Go Drillroid!" he ordered, as the monster began heading toward the Gate Guardian.

"Careless!" Dox exclaimed, as Defense Wall appeared in front of Drillroid, blocking it's attack.

And, since Defense Wall's DEF were higher than Drillroid's ATK, Judai and Sho were dealt the difference as damage.

 **Judai/Sho: 1700 → 1200 LP**

"Heh. You forgot that all your monsters must attack Defense Wall" the younger brother explained with a smirk.

"But because it battled a DEF position monster, Drillroid's effect destroys Defense Wall!" Sho countered, as Defense Wall exploded into pixels, leaving Gate Guardian as the brothers only monster.

"Even without it, you've already used up your only attack" Para grinned. "Which means that Gate Guradian is free to attack you next turn."

"We told you already! Our monster is unbeatable!" Dox exclaimed, to which Judai smirked.

"No monster is unbeatable...Isn't that right Sho?" he glanced at his partner, who nodded with a small smirk of his own.

"I didn't forget about Defense Wall's effect. Which is why that attack wasn't my real goal!" he declared, making the brothers eyes go wide in surprise. "I activate the Spell card, Shield Crush!" he announced.

""What?!"" the two brothers exclaimed in shock.

"This Spell allows me to destroy one monster on my opponent's side of the field that's in DEF position!" he explained, as a beam of energy shot forth from the card, heading straight for Gate Guardian.

And it didn't take long, for the seemingly unbeatable monster to disappear in a burst of pixels.

"Our Gate Guardian…!" Para mumbled, shielding his face from the dust of the explosion.

"They actually managed to beat it?!" exclaimed Dox, being just as surprised as his brother.

"I told you didn't I?" Judai grinned. "No monster is unbeatable!"

Seeing the Gate Guardian get destroyed, made the audience erupt into cheers.

"To think Sho would have such a card up his sleeve..." Misawa marveled, impressed by the sight.

"And to be able to draw it when they needed it most. I thought they hadn't altered their decks before the duel, and I think that may have been a good thing..." Asuka mumbled, being on the same boat as Misawa.

Shin, was probably the only one to not be surprised by the display. He just kept smiling the entire time.

"See? I told you guys they could turn it around~" he sang, leaning back in his chair.

"Yes, you were right this time, Shin-kun" Asuka agreed, glancing at the teen next to her. Said teen raised an eyebrow.

"'This time'? I am always right!" he exclaimed childishly, making Asuka shake her head while chuckling, before focusing back to the field.

"Unbelievable…!" Chronos exclaimed shocked. "Those drop out boys managed to beat a legendary monster..?!" he despaired, seeing the Slifers turn the duel around.

"There's nothing strange about that" Samejima said from the sidelines, looking completely unfazed by the change of events. "They're students here at Duel Academia after all" he smiled.

Even Daitokuji spoke up, whereas he had been silent the whole duel so far.

"Seems like Mr. Marufuji has some untapped potential after all nya~" he said whilst stroking Pharaoh's fur. However his expression slightly dropped. "Unfortunately, this may very well lead to something even more difficult for those two to overcome..."

Back on the Duel Field, Sho continued his turn.

"I set one card and end my turn" the teal haired boy said, as the face down appeared on his field.

 **Judai/Sho: 1200 LP**

"It seems we were the ones who got careless. We lowered our guards" Para mumbled, still surprised by the Slifer's feat.

"I would have never guessed they had the necessary tool to beat our Gate Guardian" Dox agreed. However, both brothers then smirked.

""However, that doesn't mean the duel is over yet!"" they stated in unison, taking Judai and Sho by surprise.

"Our unbeatable teamwork begins now! I draw" Para declared, drawing his card with his smirk still present. "From my hand, I activate the Spell card, Dark Element!"

On the field, the card flipped up before it became enveloped by a dark miasma.

"This card can only be activated when Gate Guardian is in the Graveyard!" he explained, as a portal opened on the field. "Now, I sacrifice half of our LP in order to Special Summon Dark Guardian from my deck!" he announced, as the portal emitted a bright light from which a giant figure appeared.

 **Para/Dox: 7000 → 3500 LP**

"Wha-?!" Sho became shocked, upon seeing the brothers new monster.

A giant warrior clad in armor, with it's lower half being like a spider's. It also carried a massive axe in it's hand and upon arriving on the field released a malefic laughter.

 **Dark Guardian -12- (3800/3800)**

"3800 ATK?!" Misawa exclaimed shocked, like most of the audience currently. Even Shin was shocked.

' _I didn't know about Dark Guardian!'_ he exclaimed in his mind. _'I thought their only Ace was Gate Guardian, since their whole strategy resolved around having it out on the field. I should've figured those two wouldn't rely only on Gate Guardian anymore, especially after their loss against Yugi-chan...'_ he cursed himself, before releasing a breath.

"At this point, I'm glad Seto-chan made me duel first..." the boy mumbled, making Asuka glance at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Weren't you the one who told us to believe in those two?" she questioned, as Shin's eyes narrowed slightly.

"That was before **that** came out. Even I don't know anything about it, or how to beat it..." he responded, wishing Judai and Sho good luck, as they were on their own for now.

And as he focused back on the duel, he saw Dark Guardian raising it's axe and launching an attack toward Drillroid.

"It that attack lands, those two are finished!" Misawa exclaimed.

' _Judai that facedown better be what I hope it is!'_ Shin called in his mind, hoping his friends wouldn't lose now that they came this far.

Fortunately, Shin was spot on again, as Judai activated the facedown card.

"Activate, Hero Barrier!" he declared, just before Dark Guardian's attack reached Drillroid. "While I have a monster whose name contains Elemental Hero, I can negate one of your attacks!"

From Judai's card, a blue barrier appeared which blocked Dark Guardian's attack, the resulting shock waves rippling through the arena.

The two kept colliding for a moment, before dispersing in a violent gust of wind.

"So you avoided that attack" Para noted mildly impressed, as the wind died down.

"Not bad at all. But it won't happen again!" Dox smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Our Dark Guardian's Special Effect makes it invincible in battle!"

"With it out on our field, victory is assured!" Dox declared confidently, as Dark Guardian released another evil laugh.

"No way..." Sho mumbled, staring at the massive monster. "We managed to destroy Gate Guardian, but because of it they were able to summon an even stronger monster..." Sho muttered.

"Don't worry Sho, things like these happen all the time~" Judai grinned. "We managed to beat Gate Guardian and we'll beat this Guardian too. We'll definitely win!" he said confidently, not allowing any negative thoughts to return.

"Right!" Sho nodded, focusing on winning once more.

"So you still intend to keep fighting, huh?" Para smirked, looking at the two Slifer students.

"I admire your backbone you two" Dox noted.

"I end my turn" the elder brother stated simply, allowing Judai to start his turn.

 **Para/Dox: 3500 LP**

"Then it's my turn now! I draw!" Judai announced as he drew his card. Glancing at it, he smirked as he placed it into the Spell card slot. "I activate, Pot of Greed in order to draw two new cards!"

"Then, I activate the Field Spell Fusion Gate!" he stated, inserting the card in his Duel Disk. "Now I can Fusion Summon a monster without the need for a Polymerization card, but the Fusion Materials are banished instead of being sent to the GY!"

"I use Fusion Gate to fuse Elemental Hero Avian and Bubbleman from my hand, with Elemental Hero Sparkman on my field to Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Tempest!" Judai declared as the three monsters flew up high and merge into one.

The resulting monster appeared in a small tornado which it dispersed by spreading out it's wings.

 **E-HERO Tempest -LV8- (2800/2800)**

"Heh, there it is.." Shin grinned, remembering Tempest as one of the cards Judai got while the two students were at the Card Shop. "I think I have an idea on how those two can win now."

"Really?" Asuka asked surprised. "How? Tempest is too weak to take on Dark Guardian and deal Damage."

"Not to mention it can't be destroyed in battle, so even a temporary boost in Tempest's ATK won't help much" Misawa quipped in from the side. Shin's smile didn't wave though.

"I never said it was Tempest that was going to win them the duel" he said, looking at the field, as Judai activated Skyscraper in the place of Fusion Gate. "But it will be essential to their win. If I remember correctly, Sho has a Fusion monster that requires a Warrior-type" he explained, surprising Asuka and Misawa.

"But doesn't Sho-kun use Machine-types?" the blonde questioned, as Shin's smirk grew a little.

"Exactly. But you'll see it soon enough, if everything works out like I hope it will" he said, gesturing for them to focus back on the field, where Judai attacked Dark Guardian with Tempest.

However, even with Skyscraper's boost to Tempest's ATK, the two simply clashed into a stalemate. But Gate Guardian's effect prevented it from being destroyed, so Judai had to use Sho's facedown card to activate Tempest's own effect and prevent him from being destroyed.

As the dust of the clash settled, Judai turned to his Partner.

"I end my turn. It's up to you now Sho" he grinned. "All you have to do is draw **that** card, and we got this duel won."

"Hm!" Sho nodded, knowing what card Judai was talking about. _'Big Bro knows Tempest can't beat Dark Guardian head-on. Which means our only option is to use_ _ **that**_ _...'_

 **Judai/Sho: 1200 LP**

"It's mu turn now. I draw!" Dox declared, drawing his new card. As he did, his facedown card flipped back up. "I activate my Trap card, One-on-One Fight!"

"This forces our strongest monsters to battle one another! Dark Guardian, attack Elemental Hero Tempest!" Dox ordered, as the massive Guardian raised it's axe and swung at Tempest.

"Again? But won't that end up the same?" Sho exclaimed, forgetting about Tempest's actual effect.

"Your partner doesn't have any card to sacrifice in order to keep Tempest on the field!" Para explained, making Sho realize the fact as well. But they were wrong, however.

"Gh-! I send Skyscraper to the Graveyard to prevent Tempest from being destroyed!" Judai declared, as the city surrounding them crumbled into pixels.

"But now without Skyscraper's effect, your monster becomes weaker than Dark Guardian, which means you still take damage!" Dox exclaimed, as the shockwave from the two monster's clashing ripped through Judai and Sho's side of the field, draining their LP.

 **Judai/Sho: 1200 → 200 LP**

"I end my turn" Dox grinned, seeing their opponent's LP almost gone.

"I'll give you credit for lasting this long. But this duel is almost finished!" Para said.

 **Para/Dox: 3500 LP**

"Then it's my turn now" Sho said, ready to draw his card.

"Sho, remember what just happened. That will be our key to winning this!" Judai quipped from beside him, with Sho giving a nod.

"I...draw!" he declared, putting his faith in his deck and drawing his card. Looking at it, his face fit up. _'This is it! This duel is ours!'_ he smiled confidently, something everyone else picked up on. Seeing this, Judai also smiled.

"It's time to end this! I sacrifice Drillroid in order to summon UFOroid in ATK mode!" Sho announced, as Drillroid disappeared from the field and in it's stead a large cartoonish UFO appeared.

 **UFOroid -LV6- (1200/1200)**

"Now, I activate the Spell card, Power Bond!" he declared strongly placing the card in his Duel Disk with no hesitation. "Using Power Bond, I can Fusion Summon one Machine-type monster from my Extra Deck! I fuse UFOroid together with Elemental Hero Tempest and Fusion Summon UFOroid Fighter!"

Sho and Judai's monsters then flew up high, where UFOroid turned into something like a hoverboard at Tempest took his place at it's helm.

 **UFOroid Fighter -LV10- (?/?)**

"UFOroid Fighter's effect activates! It's ATK becomes the combined ATK of the monsters used to Fusion Summon it!" Sho explained, as his monster's ATK went up. A lot.

 **UFOroid Fighter ATK ? → 4000**

"How will that help you?" Para questioned. "Even if your monster is a little stronger, it's still can't destroy Dark Guardian."

"But it doesn't have to" Sho smirked, making the brothers eyes open wide. "Now, Power Bond's effect activates! A monster that was summoned using this card, has it's ATK double for this turn only!"

""Huh?!"" Para and Dox exclaimed in shock, as UFOroid fighter's ATK went ranks above Dark Guardian's. They also realized what Sho meant.

 **UFOroid Fighter ATK 4000 → 8000**

[8000 ATK?!] the Paradox brothers, along with the majority of the spectators exclaimed.

"Dox said it himself! Even if your monster doesn't get destroyed, the damage still goes through! Go UFOroid Fighter!"

Sho's monster flew up high, and launched an energy beam toward Dark Guardian. Of course, the monster managed to tank it, but the attack continued through it and made it's way to the Paradox brothers where it hit them head on.

 **Para/Dox: 3500 → 0 LP**

 **WINNER: Judai/Sho!**

As the dust cleared and the holograms disappeared, Para and Dox fell to their knees in defeat. And with it, the audience erupted into cheers.

"Yeah! They did it!" Hayato shouted happily from the side line, beginning to clap his hands.

"Heh, they actually managed to do it. They defeated a legendary Tag Team!" Misawa cheered too, as Shin glanced over with a smirk.

"Guess you found yourself one tough cookie as a rival, huh Misawa-chan~" he said, making Misawa turn to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't you mean **we** found ourselves one tough rival?" he questioned, making Shin chuckle.

"Sure, if that's how you want to see it" he said, standing up from his seat. "But there's three of us, and only one can have the top spot. That means you and Judai will be stuck behind me as rivals~" he sang, making a challenging smirk appear on Misawa's face.

"Getting quite confident aren't we?" he questioned, seeing Shin's smirk become even bigger.

"I told you Misawa-chan. The best don't lose~" he sang, before turning to leave the stands and go over to his Slifer friends to congratulate them.

Left alone, Asuka turned toward the RA student.

"You're really that happy to have a strong rival?" she asked, making Misawa nod while folding his arms.

"I am. A strong rival will help you improve constantly" he answered, glancing back at the girl. "What do you think?"

"well, I don't really see Judai as a rival. If anything, I'm just that he proved himself capable of taking care of himself here at the academy. And thanks to him, Sho-kun is finally starting to believe in himself more as well, so I guess him being here at the academy has it's perks" she answered. She then glanced at the field, where she saw Sho locking eyes with his brother.

And as Ryou began walking away, Asuka stood up and left the stands as well, leaving Misawa alone.

On the other side of the counter, Manjoume wasn't exactly thrilled about the outcome of these event.

' _First Shin saves those slackers from expulsion, and now they manage to increase their reputation by beating two legendary duelists! Whereas **my** reputation has been dragged through the mud, along with my pride…!'_

Gritting his teeth, Manjoume abruptly stood up and left the stand, with his goons calling after him.

And Chronos was in a similar state of disbelief.

"I-I can't believe this! Those two managed to beat two legendary duelists…?" he mumbled with his hands clutching the side of his face, resembling a famous painting. He then stumbled backward on the ground, where Daitokuji approached him.

"It seems like my students are more talented than you thought, nya~" he said happily, stroking Pharaoh's fur, who gave an affirmative meow, before licking Chronos's face sending him into a panicked state.

As that was happening, Judai turned to his partner.

"We did it Sho! All thanks to you!" Judai cheered, patting Sho on the shoulder. Said boy tearing up slightly from happiness.

"That was an awesome duel you two" came Shin's voice, as he approached his friends with a smile on his face.

"Thanks~" Judai grinned too, giving Shin a bro fist. "Though we should be thanking you for changing our punishment~ It really helped relive some pressure" he and Shin shared a chuckle, whilst the dual haired teen shook his head.

"You have nothing to thank me for, Judai. Friends help each other out in times of need, right?"

"Right!" Judai agreed, as principal Samejima approached the three, a crying Chronos clinging to him like a child, and Daitokuji standing next to the two..

"That was an excellent Duel" he smiled warmly. "Normally, I should have said we'll rescind your expulsion, but as we all know Shin already took care of that, even if it was with a concerning aftermath" ha said, raising his eyebrow. At which point Shin sweatdropped lightly, and giggled awkwardly.

Samejima then looked at the two Slifer's.

"Of course now, you won't have that extra homework for three months~" he laughed, being joined by Judai, Sho and Shin while Chronos slumped even more at not being able to at least torture Judai with homework. Something Shin caught, and narrowing his eyes at slightly.

"However, that doesn't apply to the homework you've **already** missed" Samejima chuckled, Judai and Sho perk up in surprise, while Chronos perked up in happiness. "And since you still need at least **some** form of penalty for entering off-limits property, I expect a 30 page essay from you two."

"Wait, what?!" Judai exclaimed in shock.

"Daitokuji will supervise you while you do so, and Chronos shall grade it. Have fun~" and with that, Samejima turned to leave with a giggling Chronos in tow.

"But wait, what about Shin?!" Judai exclaimed, making Shin's head snap toward him with a 'what are you doing?' expression on his face. Samejima stopped an turned toward Judai with a simple question.

"What about Shin?"

"why doesn't he get the penalty? He was with us that night so he was trespassing too!" he exclaimed, as a childish side of him took over, not wanting to be the only one suffering the penalty.

"Shin won't be getting that penalty, as he's already been though enough, I'd say" Samejima answered, causing Shin to look at Judai triumphantly.

"Ha! Suck it nerds!" he laughed, while Judai pouted angrily.

"However" Samejima started, making Shin's triumphant expression vanish. "That's **our** opinion. Mr. Kaiba on the other hand, doesn't seem to be so lenient. He contacted us earlier and told us to increase Shin's workload starting next week, as he's already so far ahead of the other first years. His latest duels proved as much~" he smiled, before turning to leave once more, this time actually leaving the Arena.

"Ha! Suck it nerd!" Judai exclaimed victoriously, quoting Shin as a taunt.

"Shut up Judai! Why can't you just keep your mouth shut, huh?!" the boy growled, butting heads with his rival-now-turned-frienemy.

"It's what you get for trying to slip away from your punishment!" Judai retorted, pushing shin back slightly.

"I cleared you guys from expulsion, at the cost of my own health no less, and this is how you thank me?! I already have problems getting enough rest, I don't want to pull all-nighters on top of that!" he shouted, pushing Judai back even further.

At this point, Sho took a couple steps back since he didn't want to be caught in the crossfire. He could even swear he heard something like two dragon's roaring when his friends began butting heads.

Up in the stands, Misawa was shaking his head at his rival's antics, with Asuka who was at the entrance doing the same.

Daitokuji kept his usual smile, but Pharaoh was now on his shoulder, due to being scared by the ongoing argument.

"If you got a problem, fight me!" Judai declared, stepping away from the head-butting and activating his Duel Disk.

"Oh, you're on!" Shin did the same, immediately taking out his own Duel Disk and activating it. "I'll make sure I put you in your place Slifer!" he declared, letting his noncompetitive side take over his better judgment.

"Grr, just because you're Ra doesn't mean you're better!" Judai replied, getting riled up by being called 'a Slifer' by Shin.

"Alright you two, that's enough nya~" a voice resounded, stopping Shin and Judai's 'brawl'.

"There's no need to get so riled up over such a small matter, nya~" Daitokuji said, finally stepping in between the two.

"He started it!" Shin exclaimed childishly, pointing at Judai.

"Don't blame me! Take your punishment like the rest of us!" Judai replied, pointing at Shin.

Of course, they once again returned to butting head, as Daitokuji did a rare gesture. Face-palming.

But even though they fought like children now, their friends still knew those two didn't mean it, and would be back to being best friends in no time.

 **That's a wrap~**

 **Hey there, long time no see, huh?**

 **I'm sorry for that. I'm not going to try to give you some half-assed excuse like 'My computer' or 'I got sick and couldn't write'. I know I would be annoyed if someone who hadn't given any sign of activity for almost two months came back with the 'Sorry I had a cold, you know?'...how you gonna have a cold for two months?!**

 **Anyway. Again, sorry for not posting. I had other things to take care of and slowly lost my writing creativity.**

 **But! As you can see, I'm back now! Hopefully for longer than the last time…**

 **I tried my best getting into the swing of things again, but it's a little awkward because the majority of this duel is Judai and Sho's duel, which was difficult to write, since I had to constantly switch back and forth from writing, to watching the episode to make sure I didn't miss anything.**

 **And even then, I had to change up the duel narration here and there, since the main drive of the Tag Duel, aka not getting expelled, wasn't there anymore. So I apologize if the duel is kind of weird.**

 **But with that out of the way, I thank all those who stayed and waited for this chapter for all this time. To those who left and maybe see this in the future, I don't hold anything against anyone~ I myself have a few stories which I dropped after the author stopped updating for so long…**

 **So again, thank you for staying with me, leave a review and tell me what you thought of the chapter and I'll see you in the next one~**

 **...Hopefully this time I won't take over a month to update…**

 **Cya~**


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Yellow vs. Blue!

"Thanks again for landing me with more workload, jerk" Shin mumbled whilst he and Judai, along with the rest of the gang walked back toward their dorms.

Now with the Punishment Duels behind all of them, everyone was free to kick back and relax, something all of them wanted to do right now. But since Shin and Judai were still miffed with one another because of the earlier 'confrontation', it was unanimously decided by Misawa and Alexis, along with Sho and Hayato, that Shin and Judai should make up first so that no bad blood remains.

"Humpf!" Judai huffed in response to Shin, and turned his head away while his arms were crossed. Obviously, none of the two were ready to make up yet, as their childish sides wouldn't allow one of them to give in.

"Honestly you two, how old are you?" the mother figure known as Asuka asked with a sigh, walking by Shin's side.

"She's right Shin, Judai" Misawa commented, currently walking between the two, acting as some sort of wall. "You're both old enough to not act as little kids over something this trivial."

"I didn't ask for anything for rescuing his sorry butt from expulsion, yet I still get more workload!" Shin immediately responded childishly, igniting Judai once more.

"I didn't ask for a 30 page essay either! At least you have the brains to keep up with all the school work! What am I gonna do, huh?" he commented, peaking over from Misawa's left, whereas Shin peaked from the right.

"That's your own fault for not paying attention in class!" he exclaimed.

Judai wanted to retort, but found himself unable to as Shin was indeed right, and he knew it. Evident in the smirk that appeared on his face as he saw Judai huff to himself but not retort.

"You're not one to talk, Shin-kun" Asuka quipped form his side, making Shin raise an eyebrow in surprise. "Don't act so surprised. You're sitting right in front of me in class, so I see that you're always playing games in class. Especially in prof. Chronos' class."

"Ha! See, you're no better!" Judai laughed, before being bonked on the head courtesy of Misawa.

"Unlike you, Shin is apparently ahead of all first years so he can afford to not pay attention sometimes, whereas it's become a regular occurrence for you" the Ra student said.

"I don't care about all of that boring theory!" Judai exclaimed, his face falling into a pout. "I learn from experience, not from writing down entire pages on why I should use Pot of Greed two turns after I drew it!"

"OK, that I admit it's really pointless" Shin noted, glancing at Judai. "But there are some things you never know might come in handy. What if you run into someone with a Lockdown deck? If they have a Spell-lockdown deck, you would be in some serious trouble. All your Fusions would be rendered useless."

"Oh come on, what are the chances of that happening?" Judai asked with a slight laugh. However, he stopped when he saw Shin looking at him with a childlike smile.

"Judai, you do realize of course that I am using such a deck right?" he asked innocently, making Judai's eyes widen in surprise.

"Wait really?!" he exclaimed, as Shin nodded and pulled out a few cards from his secondary deck.

 **Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV8**

 **White Night Dragon**

 **Horus' Servant**

 **Jinzo**

"Horus' effect prevents you from activating any Spells, while Jinzo locks all of your Traps. Horus' Servant protects Horus from any and all card effects and White Night can destroy Spells and Traps that target it once per turn" Shin explained, putting the cards back into the deck.

"But that means I just have to smash your monsters and break your combo!" Judai smirked confidently, as if it was as easy as that.

"Good luck getting out a Monster with more than 3000 ATK, cuz that's what both Horus and White Night are boasting~" Shin sang in a laid back tone. Judai wanted to reply, but once again found himself trapped by Shin's statement, as all of Judai's Aces were Fusion Monsters.

"Grr, there's gotta be some way..." he mumbled, hastily taking out his deck and beginning to search through his cards. The gesture made Shin, Asuka and Misawa giggle slightly.

"I'm afraid it's not as easy as that, Judai" Misawa said, patting Judai on the shoulder. "Coming up with a strategy for taking on a lockdown deck requires much more time and effort, than simply flipping through your cards. Trust me, I've been working on a strategy for Shin's deck ever since his duel with Kenji" he admitted, making everyone bar Shin look at him amazed.

"That long...Just how strong is your deck Shin-kun?" Sho wondered, causing Shin to laugh.

"Hahaha~ It's unbeatable~" Shin grinned from ear to ear, enjoying Sho's amazed face caused by him actually believing what Shin said.

"No deck is unbeatable" Asuka quipped from the side, bringing attention unto her. "And Shin knows very well his isn't unbeatable either. Since he has a loss record back in Domino City~" she smiled causing Shin to do a double-take.

"Why did you tell them that Asuka-chan?!" he exclaimed wide eyed, as Judai returned to searching through his deck with renewed vigor, while Misawa fell deep in thought due to the information.

"So there is a way to beat you after all…!" Judai mumbled, flipping though his entire deck.

"Exactly. You just have to be faster than him, and rely on fast Tribute summoning once his combo has begun" she explained, causing Shin to panic as his secrets were being exposed.

"What are you doing Asuka-chan?! Stop that!" Shin cried out, frantically waving his arms around like a child, hoping it would somehow stop Asuka. And the girl herself enjoyed seeing Shin squirm like this, as she was giggling the entire time.

"W-Well, even if you know how to deal with my lockdown deck you still don't know what my other deck has in store, so there!" Shin grinned triumphantly, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest.

"Darn...I forgot about your second deck" Misawa mumbled, biting his nail, while Judai just plain gave up and slumped over.

"Maaaan. Why do you have two decks, dammit!" he exclaimed, making Shin laugh in amusement.

"So guys like you can't rely on your luck to win~" he responded without missing a beat, causing Judai to click his tongue. "But~ You're free to have a go at me and **try** to win" Shin said, glancing at Judai who perked up. "Same goes for you Misawa-chan~" he then glanced at his Ra dorm mate, who raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Confident aren't we?" he asked, while Shin placed his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner.

"No, I just want you guys to give me a challenge" he smirked, firing up the other two.

"Oh? So we aren't challenging enough, eh?" Judai grinned, locking eyes with Shin. "How about we test that theory?"

"I'm down for it" Shin smirked in return. The two then glanced at Misawa, who chuckled slightly.

"Well...Sure. Sometimes you have to taste bitter defeat in order to improve. So if that's what it takes to find the right formula, I'm willing to take it" he agreed, the three rivals finally being in agreement.

"I'm afraid you three will have to wait again. The duel arena can't be used for the day" Asuka noted, causing all three to face fault.

"God dammit, why does this always happen?!" Shin exclaimed, spitting out some grass from his mouth. At that, Asuka gripped him by the ear.

"It wouldn't have been a problem if you and Ryou hadn't dueled in it this morning! The arena isn't a Duel Mat you can just take out whenever, it needs to be prepared before a duel. You two idiots damaged some of the cables when you dueled!" She reprimanded, pulling on Shin's ear, causing him to yelp.

"Owowow! How do you know that? It could've been faulty from the beginning!" Shin tried to reason, but Asuka fixed him with a blank stare.

"I heard some of the teachers talk about before Judai and Sho-kun's duel" she explained, causing Shin to sweatdrop.

But while that was happening, Misawa got an idea. An idea that came from him remembering something that happened a few weeks ago.

"Wait a second, speaking of duel mats" he began, glancing at his two rivals. "Why don't we just set up a three way duel mat and use that? May not be an official duel but it should still serve the purpose?"

"Now you're talking my language!" Judai exclaimed happily, glancing back at Hayato, who had been quiet the entire time. "Hayato, you had that kind of duel mat, right?"

"Uh, yeah I do. It's back at the dorm" he said, as Judai looked back at shin and Misawa with an excited grin.

"Well? Come on, let's get the show on the road!" he exclaimed, grabbing Sho and Hayato and hurrying down the path toward the Slifer Red Dorm.

"Hey, wait for us!" Shin exclaimed, in turn grabbing Misawa and Asuka and dragging them behind him, as they too hurried toward the Red Dorm.

* * *

 ***BANG!***

The door to Judai's dorm room was kicked open, courtesy of it's Kuriboh haired occupant.

"Alright Hayato, let's find that duel mat!" Judai ordered, as he began looking under the beds, excitement taking over.

"Judai, the mat is right over there in my backpack" Hayato sweatdropped, pointing at a backpack hanging from his bunk bed.

Pulling his head from under the bed, Judai snatched the backpack and began searching inside it, fishing out a duel mat soon after.

"Aha!" he smiled triumphantly, laying the mat out on the floor and sitting himself in front of the mat's red corner.

A few moments later, the other three appeared at the door, with poor Asuka having to catch her breath while Misawa was slightly panting. Shin was doing just fine and was immediately seated at the mat's blue corner.

After they caught their breath, Asuka and Misawa entered the room as well, everyone getting seated.

Shin, Judai and Misawa were seated at the blue, red and yellow sides of the duel mat respectively, while Hayato was up in his bunk bed, Sho was seated a chair next to Judai and Asuka found a spot on Sho's bed next to Shin.

"Alright, now we can finally settle scores!" Judai announced, raising his arms high in the air.

"Calm down Judai, don't blow up with excitement" Shin laughed, seeing his now-friend-again's antics. "This isn't an official duel, so whatever happens here, stays here."

"Shin's right. We'll have to see if we can get an official three way duel later on. Consider this practice" Misawa explained, reaching into his jacket and taking out a deck.

Shin and Judai followed the example, with Judai taking his regular deck out of his pocket while Shin took out his Dragon deck.

They then placed their decks on their respective sides and drew their hands.

"Let's see if you guys have what it takes to break my combo" Shin smirked, taking the first turn and beginning the duel.

* * *

A while later, the duel came to a stand still as all three had some of their strongest monsters out on the field, locked in something like a three way deadlock.

 **Shin: 700 LP/ Red Eyes Darkness Dragon** **ATK** **3900** **,** **White Night Dragon** **LV** **8** **ATK 300** **0** **,** **1 Facedown card**

 **Judai: 300 LP/ E-Hero** **Tempest** **ATK** **2900** **, 1 Facedown card,** **Field-Spell 'Skyscraper'**

 **Misawa: 500 LP/ Valkyrion the Magna Warrior** **DEF 3850,** **Spell 'Heart of the Underdog', 1 Facedown card**

"So, still think you would've been better off without this exhibition duel?" Shin crossed his arms with a smirk, glancing at his two opponents.

While Misawa was keeping a straight face, he was concerned with how the duel is panning out as both he and Judai had been driven into a corner.

But while Misawa kept a poker face in order to try and bluff Shin, Judai's face was showing obvious irritation with the current predicament.

"Man, your dragon deck is really annoying!" Judai exclaimed, scratching his head in irritation. "Just when I think I get the upper hand you bring out some new dragon that stomps me!" he cried out, while Shin laughed.

"Heheh~ What can I say? Dragons have always been one of the strongest archetypes in the game. I'll give you credit for managing to summon Tempest though. Unfortunately, you're going up against the Dragon King, so your chances were slim from the beginning~" he smirked victoriously, until Misawa quipped from the side.

"I'm fairly certain Seto Kaiba still holds that title" he said, causing Shin to deflate. "Anyway, we still have LP, monsters and cards so the duel isn't over yet Shin."

"Are you sure about that?" Shin smirked a victorious smirk, as he drew one card from his deck. Glancing at his current hands, his smirk turned into a grin.

"Oh boy...That grin means trouble" Judai mumbled toward Misawa, who nodded with a sweatdrop. His whole plan hanged from a thread.

It factored around Judai's facedown being a Trap card and Shin attacking both of them in one fell swoop.

He hoped Shin would attack Judai first, causing him to activate his supposed Trap and forcing Shin to activate White Night Dragon's special effect so his attack would go through. That would leave Misawa's own Trap card, Dimension Wall, intact. In that, case no matter what Monster Shin used to attack, it would be destroyed by Dimension Wall and Shin would receive 3000 points of Damage, thus leaving Misawa as the victor.

"I can see it in your eyes Misawa-chan. You're thinking" Shin snapped the Ra student out of his thinking. Glancing over, Misawa saw a knowing smirk on Shin's face. "Looks like my estimations were right. That facedown of yours must be something that can help~"

"In that case, it's a good thing I had this! Royal Decree!" Shin announced, flipping over the card and causing Judai and Misawa's eye to open up in surprise. "Now all your traps are useless too! My lockdown is complete! Mwahahaha~!" he laughed 'evilly'.

"Dammit!" Judai clicked his tongue, throwing his hands up and falling on his back. "Why does my luck suck today?!"

"Sorry Judai, but luck won't do you any good against me~" he said, before glancing at Misawa. "Misawa-chan on the other hand is more calculated, so he definitely has something good. But that won't help when I activate Pot of Greed! Haha!" he laughed after drawing two new cards.

"I activate, Fairy Meteor Crush and equip it to Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!" he declared, placing the Equip Spell behind Red Eyes.

"Oh, not that card again..."Judai sighed as he accepted his defeat, for now.

"Well, looks like this is it" Misawa joined in as well, placing his cards down as a sign of him accepting his loss.

"Hehe, see? If I hadn't proposed this, you two would've lost in the official match~" Shin sang while sticking his tongue out at his two friends. They groaned lightly in response, as Shin took his remaining four cards.

"Oh well, let's end this. I activate Star Changer. And with it, I reduce Red Eyes Darkness Dragon's LV by 1. Then I activate Double Attack and discard my second Red Eyes Darkness Dragon to give the Red Eyes on my field a second attack~" he explained with a childish smile. "We all know what happens now, right?"

""Yeah...We lose"" Judai and Misawa groaned in unison, causing Shin to laugh triumphantly.

"Haha! I am the best~" Shin sang, while Sho patted his brother figure on the shoulder.

"Don't worry Big Bro. You just got a little unlucky. I'm sure you'll do better next time~" he said encouragingly, prompting Judai to spring back up and lock eyes with Shin.

"Sho's right! The next time we duel, I'll definitely win!" he stated with a confident smirk.

"I'd like to see you try~" Shin stated somewhat cockily. He then noticed Misawa jotting something down in a little notepad. "What'chu got there Misawa-chan? Taking notes from the duel, eh?"

"That's right" Misawa confirmed, placing the notepad back in his pocket. "Next time, I'll be prepared to counter whatever you have in store" he stated, before gathering his deck and standing back up. "Anyway, it's gotten pretty late now. We should all turn in for the night."

Glancing outside, everyone saw that night had come around.

"It's dark already?" Hayato questioned surprised.

"Well, the duel has been going on for a while now, so it's no wonder" Asuka answered, standing up and stretching a bit. "Shin-kun, time to go. You still need to get proper rest for the next few days" she stated, making Shin release a sigh.

"I can take care of myself just fine, **mom**!" Shin exclaimed in an exasperated tone. But it quickly paled as Asuka's expression darkened and she brandished the almighty paper fan.

"What was that?" she questioned darkly, causing Shin to sweat bullets.

"Nothing~" he answered in a high pitched voice, already standing outside. Nodding to herself, she put away the harisen and turned to the Slifer students.

"See you in class tomorrow. Have a good night" and with that she was out the door, with Shin following behind her like a puppy.

Left alone, Judai and Misawa exchanged looks.

"Should I ask?" the Slifer questioned, with Misawa shaking his head as a 'No'. Judai then turned to Sho with a grin. "See? I told you she had him whipped~"

"Well, I better go as well now" Misawa stated, walking toward the door. But before he walked out, he glanced back at Judai. "Don't forget we're playing baseball tomorrow. Get ready for me to strike you out" he smirked, then left just before Judai could retort.

* * *

"Man, Asuka-chan is really scary sometimes..." Shin mumbled, plopping on his bed.

" **She is very similar to Anzu, if you ask me"** Dark Magician Girl quipped in, appearing by Shin's bedside.

"Yeah, scarily similar at that.." the boy sighed, before glancing at his partner. "So, I haven't seen you all day today. Something happen?"

Dark Magician Girl fell silent for a moment.

The reason she was gone all day, was because she was talking to her Master about the unidentified Duel Monster Spirit she heard the night before. But she didn't want to add even more to Shin's plate of worries.

' _ **He already has plenty to worry about with the Sacred Beasts and Wicked Gods almost on the door step. If I told him something dangerous was lurking within those blank cards, who knows what will happen to his already fragile mind...'**_

Deciding not to burden Shin even more, but not lie to him either, she carefully responded.

" **Oh, I've been talking to Master about those blanks Pegasus gave you"** she said, telling the truth, but omitting the dangerous spirit part.

Hearing this, Shin raised an eyebrow.

"Does he have any idea how to 'create' a new card?" he questioned, and to his dismay, receiving a negative head shake.

" **Well he does have a theory at least"** she said, making Shin sit up and listen carefully. **"You already know how the Duel Monster Spirit Realm is actually a series of connected dimensions, right?"** receiving a nod, she continued. **"Well, his theory was that, since you have the cards, you may be able to call out monsters from different dimensions of the Spirit Realm, and make them take residence within the cards."**

"...Huh?" he tilted his head to the side, a confused expression on his face. "So I can just call out monsters from different dimensions? How does that work?"

" **I...don't know"** DMG asnwered with a sweatdrop. **"But Master said, and I quote, 'If his heart calls out loud enough the monster he needs may present itself. He just needs to reach out for it'. End quote."**

"Hahh...Why can I never get a straight answer?" the boy sighed, reciprocating DMG's sweatdrop. Shin then stood up and went into the bathroom, deciding to just get a shower and go to sleep.

Left alone, Dark Magician Girl once again glanced at his deck. Specifically, his blank cards.

' _ **Alright Mr/Mrs Unknown Spirit, let's see what your deal is'**_ she thought, floating over to the blanks.

She then scanned them over, trying to find the culprit. At first glance, all cards looked the same. Just plain white cards with nothing but the rims drawn unto them. You couldn't even make out what type of cards they were.

' _ **Left really ambiguous, huh?'**_

The female magician then focused on the cards, remembering a lesson taught to her by Dark Magician. And slowly, she started to see faint glows forming around the cards. Most of them gained the faint color purple around them, signaling that those unknown cards were, in fact, Fusion Monsters.

However, one card didn't match the others. A single card remained white. Raising an eyebrow, Dark Magician Girl tried focusing some more, to no avail. The card remained white.

What she wasn't aware of however, was that the card itself was glowing white.

What she did notice, was that one of the cards glow became stronger on it's own, surprising the Duel Spirit. And soon after, the same predatory presence was felt through the room. Stronger than before.

' _ **So this is the one...'**_ DMG thought, attempting to grab the card.

But as she did, the cards glow expanded rapidly, making her quickly float back in surprise. And from the card, the form of a serpentine creature with glowing red eyes appeared before her.

But it disappeared just as fast, when the door to the bathroom opened.

"Did you call me just now?" Shin asked, coming out of the bathroom with a towel around his shoulders, shorts and dripping wet hair.

Confused, Dark Magician Girl tilted her head to the side.

" **N-No, I didn't say anything"** she said, causing Shin to scratch his head in confusion.

"Then what the heck? I could swear I heard something calling out..." he mumbled, returning to the bathroom.

* * *

A few minutes later, he returned to the room fully dressed and with the towel on his head.

"Alright, now that everything has finally settled down, I can send the video" the boy mumbled, going over to his PDA.

" **What video, Shi-chan?"** his partner asked, floating over his shoulder.

"A little surprise I made for Chronos. This'll teach him not to mess with my friends again" he smirked, as he anonymously sent the video to the unsuspecting teacher.

" **I take it that's the blackmail we got during the whole peeping ordeal?"** DMG asked, receiving a nod from Shin. **"Well then, I guess it was finally time he got what he deserved~"**

"That he did~" Shin laughed as he put his PDA back on his nightstand, and turned the lights off. "Anyway, now it's time to turn in for the night. I'm really glad I'm excused from doing P.E. tomorrow" he said, jumping into the bed and throwing the covers on, the room becoming dimly lit by the moonlight.

" **Again? Is it because you were unconscious for two days?"** she guessed, hearing an 'Mhm' from Shin.

"The Ra and Slifer Dorms are playing baseball against one another tomorrow, and she thought it would be too soon to be running my butt off on the field" he explained, setting his alarm for 7 AM. "But I still need to participate in one form, so she let's me be the referee for the Obelisk Girl who will be playing tennis in the back of the stadium."

" **Hrh, you must be excited for all that eye candy, huh~?"** Dark Magician Girl asked teasingly, knowing full well the answer.

"Well...It's not like I mind" Shin answered with a small grin. "But I'm gonna have to do my job as a referee and keep my eyes on the tennis balls, not the...others."

" **I know what you mean~"** DMG giggled a little perversely. **"I might join you at some point~"**

"What ever tickles you fancy. Night~" he said, closing his eyes and letting sleep overtake him.

Seeing him peacefully asleep, Dark Magician Girl returned to the Duel Spirit Realm, but not before throwing another cautious glance at the blank cards.

In the meanwhile, withing the Obelisk Male Dorm…

In his lavish room, Chronos was preparing to go to bed like the rest of the island. After having his plans foiled by Shin, and having to grade some tests on top of that, the man wanted nothing more than to slip into he world of Dreams where everything went his way.

 ***DING* *DING***

"Hm? Who dares disturb me at this hour?" Chronos grumbled, going over to his PDA.

Picking it up, he opened it to see a new voice message came through. But when he looked at it, he saw no sender. Raising an eyebrow at the anonymous message, he thought nothing more of it and pressed play.

But that all changed when the screen turned static, before revealing something that made Chronos' heart skip a beat.

A ventriloquist's dummy appeared on the screen. It's face was white, with protruding eyebrows and cheeks on which red spirals were painted. Dressed in a black tuxedo and red bow tie, the red eyed doll looked straight at Chronos.

" **Hello Chronos"** a deep electronic voice greeted, sending a chill down Chronos' back. He recognized the puppet, and he knew what it was famous for. **"I want to play a game..."**

With that, Chronos took a step back and checked his surroundings in a panic.

' _Nononononon! I am not playing any game!'_ he exclaimed in his mind, heading straight for the door.

As he gripped the handle, a chuckle resounded from the puppet, making Chronos freeze.

" **I wouldn't recommend that Chronos. You don't want to start the game without even hearing the rules, do you? I needn't tell you that is bad idea..."** the puppet said, making Chronos take his hand from the door handle. **"A wise decision. It's rather rude to walk out when someone is just trying to have a conversation with you."**

"W-What do you want?!" Chronos exclaimed, looking cautiously at the PDA.

" **I want to give you a warning"** the doll said. **"Judai Yuki. The name's familiar, no?"**

' _T-That slacker? What has he got to...oh no'_ his eyes opened wide, as he realized what was happening.

" **I see you've realized your predicament. That's good. It spares me the trouble of explaining these."**

Then, the video turned static again, before it began showing a handful of pictures of Chronos on the night Judai was supposed to meet Alexis behind the girls bathhouse. Incriminatory photos that showed he hand a hand in what happened that night.

But it didn't stop there. The video then showed the recording of Chronos speaking to Titan, with the volume raised up so anyone could hear what the two were talking about.

All the while Chronos grew paler with every second.

' _Merda! If these get released, I'll lose my job and my reputation!'_ he despaired, as the video cut back to the puppet.

" **I must say I'm amazed at the amount of effort you put into trying to expel this one student. And what for? Because he beat you in a simple duel? Truly unsightly, that a professor of your caliber stoops so low, because of a simple loss."**

" **And I'm certain the principal of the academy would agree, if I were to send these pieces of footage to him, don't you think?"**

"No! Please anything but that! My reputation would be ruined!" Chronos cried, not wanting to lose his job at the prestigious Duel Academia.

" **I could care less about your reputation"** the puppet stated coldly. **"In my eyes, you ruined your reputation the very moment you placed that fake love letter in Judai Yuki's locker."**

' _He even knows about that? But I was certain I was alone!'_ the professor panicked, as the puppet spoke again.

" **And not only me. A few others share the sentiment"** it said, making Chronos pale further, at knowing others knew about what he'd been doing. **"But as I said, I only want to give you a warning."**

" **Leave Judai Yuki alone. I will not stand for unfairness toward others. Or else..."**

"E-Else what…?" Chronos squeaked, scared of what the punishment would be.

" **Or else, I will let you experience the same thing one of your precious Obelisk students went through. Kenji Nakano should ring a bell?"**

"Signore Kenji? That was you?!" Chronos exclaimed in shock.

" **That's right. I happened upon Kenji Nakano trying to take his frustration out on Shin on the docks in the middle of night. Since he resorted to violence, I took it upon myself to show him just how severe the consequences to hurting another human being are."**

" **But you have nothing to worry about. For now. I'll leave you with this warning and remember. I'm always watching..."**

And with that final message, the video cut off before mysteriously deleting itself.

Chronos was left standing in the dark room, considerably paler than usual.

' _That..puppet! I need to find out who is behind that darn puppet! The drop out boy can wait. For now, this mysterious blackmailer takes priority!'_ he thought, clenching his fist.

He then sighed and returned to bed, having had enough for one day.

* * *

The next day, the students found themselves inside Duel Academia's sports stadium for P.E.

Since it was a hot sunny day, Emi decided to let the kids play around to their hearts content and she took them to the stadium where the Ra and Slifer dorms played baseball against each other, while the Obelisk girls played tennis.

"Knock it out of the park Judai!" the Slifer team exclaimed, as it was Judai's turn to bat.

"You got this Big Bro!" Sho encouraged from the side.

Gripping the baseball bat, Judai smirked confidently.

"Leave it to me! If I can get a home-run, I'll add three bases and end this!" he noted, preparing to hit the ball with everything he has.

"Hey, wait!" however, a voice called out from inside the stadium. "Please, hold the match!"

A moment later, Misawa came running unto the field, taking a few seconds to catch his breath before turning to the Ra team's captain.

"I'm sorry for arriving late. I got caught up in a fierce debate over deck-construction."

"It's no problem. Are you ready to pitch?" the captain asked, to which Misawa nodded eagerly. "Alright. We're switching pitchers! Misawa is our new pitcher!" he called as Misawa took the baseball and positioned himself in front of Judai.

"So, you've finally shown yourself Misawa?" Judai noted, narrowing his eyes with determination. "Don't think I forgot what you said last night! Your pitch is flying all the way over there!" he declared, using his bat to point over Misawa and behind the stadium.

"Not going to happen" Misawa smirked, readying his arm. "I've already calculated how I'm going to win, so this pitch is untouchable!"

As the two rivals put on their game faces, Misawa reared his arm back.

"Here I go! Equation...Version one!" he exclaimed, before throwing the baseball at high speeds toward Judai.

As the ball sailed through the air, a tiger's roar was heard, before it zoomed past Judai just as he was about to strike it, resulting in a strike.

Which then turned into two- and three strikes respectively.

"I can't stand it!" Judai exclaimed, as Misawa made good on his promise and struck Judai out.

Afterward, it was Judai's turn to pitch. However, he didn't even try to put an effort into it, sending all three pitches out. At this point, Sho called for a timeout and walked over to his Big Bro.

"What going on Bro? We have two outs but you gave up three bases on balls in a row" he short duelist said, as Judai scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Yeah, I walked them on purpose" he admitted, surprising his fellow Slifers. "It was the only way to face Misawa again."

"What?! You walked three batter just to face Misawa-kun again?" Sho exclaimed shocked.

"I've gotta return the favor Sho! I'm going to strike him out!" Judai declared with determination. He then pointed at the boy in question, who took his spot on the field. "Misawa! Get ready to lose!"

"Heh! Sorry to disappoint, but I've also figured out the formula to knocking you off the mound! Judai, this game is ours!" Misawa declared, as everyone took their designated spots. "I'll use that formula to defeat you and once I do, you'll have to do whatever I say!"

"Fine! You're on!" Judai declared, competitive determination flaring up in his eyes.

"Come, No. 1!" Misawa exclaimed with the same fiery determination, readying his bat.

"Hah!" Judai cried out, rearing his arm back and throwing the ball so hard that the cap on his head flew off. "I'm the hero!"

Just like with Misawa's pitch, Judai's ball sailed through the air at high speeds, accompanied by a figurative dragon roaring right behind it.

However, Misawa once again kept his words and managed to connect with the ball, sending it flying in the opposite direction at blinding speeds. However, instead of flying upward, the ball was sent flying straight back over the fencing and right into the back of the stadium where the Obelisk girls were playing tennis.

* * *

A few moments prior…

 ***WHISTLE***

"Game! Junko wins!" Shin called from the Chair Umpire's seat, gesturing toward the black haired girl.

"Yay! I beat Asuka-san~!" Junko cheered, jumping up and down while Asuka looked at Shin questioningly.

"I don't want to sound like a sore loser, but are you sure that counted Shin-kun?" she questioned, folding her arms. "I could swear that went beyond the line."

"OR, this just isn't your day Asuka-chan~" Shin stuck his tongue out at the girl, who huffed and pouted cutely.

"That's the second game in a row...You better not be playing favorites, Shin-kun!" She called, to which Shin responded while leaning back in his chair.

"As Chair Umpire, I have to remain unbiased and uphold Fair Play Conduct" he explained, closing his eyes. "And if I fail to do that, may the cold hard truth hit me square in the face~"

"Watch out you guys!" a voice called from the other side of the fence, getting the Obelisks attention.

"Huh?" Shin opened his eyes at the call, and glanced in the direction-

 ***WHACK!*** -only to be met with a stray baseball right in the face, sending both him and the chair come crashing down.

 **-CRASH***

[Shin-kun/san!] Asuka, along with Junko and some other Obelisk girls called out, seeing Shin tumble down to the ground with the large chair falling dangerously close to him.

Asuka then rushed toward Shin, who was lying face first on the ground.

"Shin-kun, are you OK?!" she exclaimed worriedly, as Shin raised his body off the ground with a groan. Holding a hand to his face, Shin shook his head to get the dust out. But as a drip of blood rolled down from under his palm, Asuka quickly took a handkerchief and slid it under his hand.

"Here, try and stop the bleeding with this" she said, pressing on Shin's hand with her own, as the boy seemingly stopped functioning all together.

 ***Tap* *tap***

Just then, the baseball that struck Shin fell down on the ground and rolled in front of the boy.

"..." Seeing this, Shin's eyes turned red and narrowed.

Then he slowly stood up, while his hair cast a dark shadow over his face and a small trail of blood rolled over his lips and down his chin.

"Shin-kun…?" Asuka asked confused, seeing Shin slowly grab the baseball and grip it tightly.

At this point, everyone bar Asuka was staying a safe distance away from Shin. The reason?

They all saw a glimpse of an enormous translucent shadow looming over Shin, with gleaming yellow eyes. None of the students knew if what they saw was real or not, but none of them wanted to find out.

Even the baseball players saw a glimpse of it, leaving a sense of dread within their being.

' _W-What the hell is that…?'_ Judai mumbled in his mind, his eyes opening wide.

Unlike everyone else however, Judai was apparently able to see the shadow outright. It seemed to be in the shape of something large with wings and multiple spike like protrusions. But no more was recognizable due to the fluctuating shape.

"You guys..." Shin mumbled, gripping the ball even tighter. He then glanced back up, revealing his scowling red eyes and blood trail coming from his forehead.

"KEEP YOUR GAME TO YOUR OWN GODDAMN FIELD!" he roared, rearing his arm back and chucking the baseball back toward the baseball players with inhuman force, sending that sucker flying at an unbelievable speed.

There was even a distant dragon roar, trailing behind the ball. Unlike Judai's however, this roar wasn't figurative. People actually heard a something like a dragon roaring right after the ball was thrown.

And speaking of, the ball reached such a speed that it actually broke through the chain linked fence without loosing any of it's force. And it was heading straight for Misawa and Judai, who were standing in a straight line.

"AGH!" Judai yelped, managing to duck just in time, as the ball raced by his head like a missile.

It then continued on it's war path toward Misawa, who just like Judai managed to duck just in time. He even managed to raise his bat in front of his face, as if it would offer more protection.

 ***WHISHH* *crack***

Though that was proven futile as the ball hit right through the wooden baseball bat and hit the wall right behind Sho's head, leaving a crack in it. The boy was so scared by how close he was to getting hit by that, that he was shaking like a wet dog in the wind.

As the ball, who began releasing smoke due to how fast it was spinning after it was thrown, rolled on the field, everyone was left speechless.

"Tch! They might as well keep an infirmary bed reserved for me all the time...Stupid kids…!" Shin grumbled in annoyance, walking away from the tennis court and heading toward the school infirmary.

* * *

[…] it was so quiet among the students, one could swear a tumbleweed was about to tumble through.

At that moment, Emi walked out unto the field, humming a merry tune. But she suddenly stopped when she saw everyone sitting around like statues, each having their own shade of shock etched on their face.

"Huh? What wrong everyone? You look like you've seen a ghost" she wondered curiously.

"S-Shin-san is scary when he's angry..." Junko shivered, making Emi raise an eyebrow. She then looked around for Shin, seeing he was missing.

"I think I can believe that, from the way you all seem gobsmacked. What happened? And why is there a hole in the fence?" she asked surprised, noticing the whole in the fence, courtesy of Shin's pitch.

"Yeah...Shin-kun got hit in the face by a stray baseball and he didn't take too kindly to it...I guess?" Asuka mumbled, just as confused about what happened as Emi.

"'Didn't take kindly'?!" Sho exclaimed from the baseball pitch. "That ball almost went straight through my **head**!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, fear evident in his voice.

"To be fair Sho, that ball actually went straight for Misawa and I. You were just unlucky to be standing behind him" Judai said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"But I'm still shocked that he was able to throw that hard" Misawa mumbled, looking at the hole in the fence. "That ball couldn't have had any less than 100 mph."

"Right?" Judai agreed. "You'd think someone who got hit in the head with a baseball would be unconscious at best, but nope! Shin returned it to us with double the power!" he laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

It didn't work.

"Okay everyone! I'm afraid I'll have to cut this lesson short!" Emi called, getting everyone's attention. "You all go and get changed while I go and search for Shin-kun to see if he's alright. A baseball to the head is nothing to joke about" she said, directing the last bit toward Judai, who looked sheepish.

"I'll come with you Ayukawa-sensei" Asuka said, standing back up.

"Alright Asuka-san. I understand the worry, since you two are so close~" she smiled, making a blush appear on Asuka's face.

"W-Why does everyone keep saying that...We're just friends!" she exclaimed, making Emi giggle.

"Sure you are~ Now let's go."

Within the lone hallways of the academy, Shin made his way toward the infirmary.

* * *

"Grr..." he growled, holding his head while cringing in pain. "Deep breaths...Remember Shin, deep breaths..."

Listening to his own advice, Shin took a couple of deep breaths, as his eyes reverted back to the usual icy blue.

"Phew...Cool Shin is back in control~" he grinned to himself, wiping his forehead.

Only to realize he was still bleeding, as he saw his hand was now painted red.

'Right. Infirmary..." the boy sweatdropped, returning to his trip to the infirmary.

As he was walking though, someone watched him.

That someone, being his own Duel Spirits. They watched as Shin walked the hallways through the same pond Dark Magician used to show Shin the Wicked Gods.

" _W-What was that...shadow around Shin-sama?"_ Silent Magician asked the senior spirit, who looked conflicted.

" _It's...a long story"_ Dark Magician Girl sighed, a sympathetic look in her eyes.

" _We ourselves aren't sure what it is, to be honest"_ Eatos explained to the young Spirit. _"That..shadow, has been with Shin-sama ever since the beginning from what I can tell."_

" _But then, why did it only come out just now?"_ Silent Magician wondered, this time being answered by the elder of the group.

" _It appears to remain dormant most of the time"_ Dark Magician said, trying to shed some light. _"I've been trying to figure out exactly what it is, but it still eludes me to this day..."_

" _Could it be Shin-sama's darker side? Something he keeps hidden?"_ the Magician suggested, actually making the other spirits look at her surprised. _"W-What…?"_

" _You may have a point, Silent Magician. Shi-chan does suffer from Split Personality Disorder"_ Dark Magician revealed, surprising Silent Magician.

" _So that's why Shin-sama acted so differently.."_ she mumbled, earning a nod from Eatos.

" _That's what us Spirits call Shin-sama's "Duel Persona". Though it can't even be considered that, as it rarely comes out. And when it does, it's usually only during a duel..."_

" _But from what we've seen, it comes out when Shi-chan's emotions take a darker turn. Anger, usually"_ Dark Magician Girl explained. They then heard Dark Magician mumble behind them.

" _So that's it...How did it take me this long to see it?"_ as the other spirits turned toward him with inquiry, the Magician explained.

" _Dark Magician Girl, you still remember... **that** , don't you?" _he asked his student, who took a moment to think back, opening her eyes wide as she remembered. She then nodded solemnly.

" _Then you must have felt it as well. The difference his 'Duel Persona' had during that duel."_

" _I did. It felt so much more...violent. He enjoyed the pain he inflicted"_ she said sadly, before her eyes opened wide with realization. _"Wait! Master, you don't mean-"_

" _That shadow we saw around Shin during that duel...It must have been the same one we saw just now"_ Dark Magician confirmed, before glancing back at the pond. _"But it's still strange. Even though it's Shin...it somehow feels like a different person.."_

" _Do you think there might be another entity in Shi-chan? Like Yugi and the Pharaoh"_ DMG asked, receiving an unsure nod from Dark Magician.

" _It's a possibility. Though whatever it is, it's safe to say that it awakens with strong emotions."_

" _And from the looks of it, that emotion is just anger..."_

As the two Magicians discussed, Eatos and Silent Magician were left in the dust.

" _Hmm...Eatos-sama, do you think that unknown Duel Spirit may have some sort of connection to this mysterious shadow?" Silent Magician asked, making the blonde Guardian cup her own chin with her hand._

" _That's an interesting theory. That Duel Spirit did only show up a few days ago. And it can't be a coincidence that just after it's appearance, that shadow appeared too..."_

" _Could it be that monster has some sort of connection to Shi-chan"_ Dark Magician Girl butted into the conversation.

" _Maybe. Or at least it has a connection to whatever it is inside Master..."_

" _It could be possible. But how…?"_ Dark Magician wondered, descending deep in thought, while the other three Spirits glanced back at the pond, continuing to look after Shin.

* * *

"Well, here we are" Shin mumbled, finally arriving in front of the infirmary. Sliding the door open, he peaked inside to see if anyone was present. Unfortunately, the room was empty.

"Just great. Now I either gotta wait for Emi to show up, or go find her myself" he sighed, scratching his head, only to cringe as pain shot through his skull. "Damn stray ball...I'm starting to see the drawback of affecting my opponents luck during a duel. My own luck turn negative on me in everyday life..."

 ***RING* *RING***

"Hmm?" feeling his PDA vibrate, Shin quickly fished out the device from his pocket.

' _A new message huh? Oh and it's from Asuka-chan too~'_ he thought smiling happily. He then opened the message, which asked a simple question.

"Where I am huh? She must be searching for me...She's worried about me~" he cooed, hugging himself and wiggling around happily. "Alright, let's tell her I'm in the Infirmary. Maybe she'll get Emi on her way."

He then quickly typed his reply, before putting the PDA back in his pocket and seating himself back on the familiar bed, that had all but become his at this point.

Shin waited for a few minutes, until he heard two pairs of footsteps approaching. And lo and behold, Asuka along with Emi appeared through the door.

"Hey~" Shin waved at the two, as if nothing was wrong. Unfortunately, he wasn't fooling anyone as his forehead was still quite obviously covered in dried up blood, which trailed down his nose and chin.

"My goodness, Shin-kun that's a lot of blood!" Emi exclaimed in surprise, immediately going over to check up on the boy, who was as cool as a cucumber.

"Well, I did catch a baseball with my face~" he chuckled slightly, only to cringe as Emi found the place where the blood came from. She then clicked her tongue.

"Just what I hoped wouldn't happen. Looks like your 'catch' managed to split your head open" she said, making both Shin and Asuka's eyes open wide.

"Doesn't that mean he needs to go to the hospital like, ASAP?" the girl questioned worriedly, whereas Shin was sent into a panic.

"Nope! Nope! NOPE!" he exclaimed, shaking his head. "I'm not letting them make even more test on my head! Not to mention the syringes-gah?!" he tried to stand up and bolt, but was swiftly returned to the bed by Emi, who caught him by the collar of his shirt.

"Calm down, you big baby. Fortunately, it's not that bad" the nurse said, making the teens breathe in relief. She then stood up and went to her cabinet, pulling out disinfectant and a towel. "Now, close your eyes while I clean the blood off your forehead."

Shin did as instructed, while Emi got to work and scrubbed the dried blood off Shin's forehead, the boy occasionally cringing as the disinfectant stung his wound.

Once Emi wiped off most of the blood, Asuka could finally see Shin's wound as well. To her, it seemed like a small cut in the left side of Shin's hairline.

"Alright, now that the wound is all cleaned up, we'll just stitch it back together with this..." she mumbled, pulling Shin's open wound back together, causing the boy to cringe once more. "Oh suck it up Shin-kun. Your a boy, you can take it" she said, placing a few small bandages that looked like stitches on Shin's forehead.

"Just because I can, doesn't mean I should!" Shin responded, placing his hand on his head after Emi was done.

"I can tell you've been through worse. That scar on your back must've been ten times more painful" she said with a raised eyebrow, causing Shin to look downcast for a second.

"Yeah...in more ways than one" he mumbled, as both Emi and Asuka got the subtle message.

"Bad memory huh? Well, that's all in the past now~" Emi smiled, standing back up and heading over to her notepad on the desk. "The wound is too small for me to stitch it with actual stitches, but it's still going to leave a little mark."

"It's no problem. My awesome bangs will just cover it up~" Shin said, proudly flipping his golden bangs to the side, covering the bandages.

"You can take those off tomorrow, if they haven't already fallen off during the night. For now, come to me if you feel any serious head aches. Taking a baseball to the head can turn potentially lethal, especially when you're not wearing a helmet" Emi said, looking sternly at Shin, who raised his arms in defense.

"I was the Chair Umpire on the tennis court! I had nothing to do with- and no reason to expect a stray baseball to the head!" he exclaimed, as Emi nodded in understanding.

"You're right there. I'm sorry for putting you up on that chair. I should've just let you watch from the sidelines from the get go" she mumbled.

"Maybe, but then someone else might've been hit with that stray ball. So hey, I'm all good so everything's all good as well~" Shin smiled, standing back up.

"We need to wrap you in bubble wrap Shin-kun, we really do" Emi mumbled, putting her notepad down. "Maybe that way you won't have to come to my office every week."

"That actually sounds pretty fun" Shin noted, before shaking his head. "But then I won't be able to duel, so why bother~ Anyway, can I go now?"

"Yes, you may go. Remember what I said though! Any serious pain and you come straight to me so we can get you to a hospital!" the busty nurse stated sternly.

"Hai~ Thanks for the help, as usual~" Shin smiled and bowed his head, before turning to Asuka. "Let's go Asuka-chan~"

Grabbing her hand, the two teens left the infirmary and went on their way back to the dorms.

* * *

As they were walking Asuka glanced at Shin.

"So, what happened back there? Your pitch went right through the fence" the blonde girl said, making Shin turn sheepish.

"E-Eheh..yeah, I guess I did throw that baseball a little harder than I wanted..." he said, rubbing the back of his head, a sweatdrop present on his cheek.

"'A little'?" Asuka parroted shocked. "That baseball left a crack in a solid **cement** wall! It almost hit Sho-kun!"

"...Sorry about that...I'm just not myself when I'm angry, hehe..." the boy apologized, before the two heard someone running down the hallway.

Raising an eyebrow, Shin peaked over the corner to see who it was.

 ***CRASH***

The only problem was that the person who was running, rounded the corner at the same time Shin peaked around it, crashing into the young boy who in turn was sent into Asuka, causing both of them to fall on the ground. The person fell down due to the impact as well.

"Oww...why me again?!" Shin exclaimed in an exasperated manner, clutching his wound again.

"Shin-kun..are you okay?" the girl beside him asked, rubbing her head.

"Yeah, I'm just dandy..." he mumbled, raising his body up to see who it was that crashed into him. And lo and behold, a wild Manjoume had appeared.

"Grr, dammit slacker can't you look where you're going!" the black haired boy exclaimed angrily, before he saw who he crashed into. "Oh, it's you again..!"

"What's you problem dude?! Don't you know you're not allowed to run through the hallways!" Shin barked right back as his eyes flared red again, causing him to take a few deep breaths.

"I could care less about that! Ever since you and that drop out boy appeared, my reputation has been ruined! And if that wasn't bad enough, now I'm about to be downgraded to Ra Yellow!" Manjoume exclaimed, surprising Shin and Asuka.

"You're going to be demoted? But why?" Asuka wondered, as Manjoume growled lightly.

"Because I lost to that drop out Judai! And you're at fault too!" he pointed at Shin, who scowled again.

"Now hold on, how am I at fault?! It's your own fault for losing to Judai! And considering how many rare cards you had, it proves he's a much better duelist than you!" Shin exclaimed, butting heads with Manjoume.

And this point, Asuka had to intervene and pull the two boys apart.

"Alright that's enough you two! Shin-kun, don't let him get you so worked up. Your wound might act up" she said, as Shin took in a deep breath, before turning to Asuka with a smile.

"Thanks for reminding me Asuka-chan~ You're the best!" he said happily, before hugging Asuka tightly causing Manjoume's eyes to widen in shock.

"Yes yes, you've told me that before" Asuka responded a little blankly, patting Shin on the head.

At this point, Manjoume clenched his fist tightly. But for once, he didn't say anything. Instead, he got up and ran away, disappearing down the hallway.

Looking back, Shin smirked.

"Heh! Eat that punk" he stated, making Asuka look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Please tell me you didn't do that just to make Manjoume feel even worse" she sighed, seeing Shin with his ever present grin. "Shin-kun, I know that he can be much but please don't kick him while he's already down."

"...Tch, fine" Shin responded rather coldly, surprising Asuka. He then grabbed her hand again and resumed their walk back to their dorms.

* * *

They kept walking in silence until the reached the Ra yellow dorm. But when they arrived, they saw Judai, Sho and Misawa at the door.

"Huh? What're you doing here?" Shin questioned, him and Asuka going over.

"Oh! Shin, how good of you to come" Misawa greeted his friend, before pointed at the two Slifers behind him. "Judai and I made a bet during that last pitch. Since I technically won, he has to do what I tell him for the day."

"I see" the dual haired teen mumbled, seeing Judai not looking to keen on the situation. He then noticed how Sho seemed to be hiding behind his Big Bro. "Hey Sho. Look, I'm sorry about almost hitting you with that baseball. I accidentally threw it much harder than I thought~"

"I-It's fine Shin-kun. It happens to the best of us..." Sho responded, having a sweatdrop roll down his cheek.

"By the way, how are you Shin?" Judai asked, pointing at his head. "I threw that baseball as hard as I could. I didn't do any lasting damage did I?"

"Well, if you had then I definitely would be on a helicopter toward Domino, so no. You didn't do any lasting damage" Shin responded, pulling his bangs back to show them the bandages. "This is pretty much the extent of it. A small scar and some lost blood~"

"That's pretty lucky. I would've thought a concussion was the best thing you could have had after that" Misawa noted, before turning toward the door. "Anyway, since you're here. Could you give me a hand with something? I already have Judai and Sho helping me out, but the more people help out then the faster we'll get it done."

"Lemme guess. Your equations took over the room again?" Shin stated knowingly, earning a nod from Misawa. The boy then turned to Asuka. "Wanna help out Asuka-chan?"

"Well...Sure, why not. As long as it doesn't take too long. I still have some homework to finish" She said, going inside the yellow dorm with everyone else.

"Don't worry Asuka-san. With the five of us, I deduce this task can't take any more than 30 minutes tops" Misawa responded, as they arrived in front of his dorm room.

The boy then took out his key and unlocked the door, allowing everyone to come inside.

"Wow, what's with all this?" Judai mumbled surprised, seeing countless equations scribbled on the walls of Misawa's room. There were formulas written even on the ceiling.

"Those are all the calculations and equations I write down as they come to mind" he declared, gesturing around the room. "That one is Schroedinger's cat. And that one over there is Avogrado's molecular theory. I want you all to help me give these stars a Big Bang!"

[A Big Bang?] Judai, Sho and Asuka asked I unison.

"Aka, Misawa-chan needs someone to help him repaint his wall so he can scribble some more on them" Shin stated, pointing backward at the paint cans located near the door.

"That's right~" Misawa grinned, handing everyone some paint brushes and a few cans of paint.

Thus they all got to work helping Misawa repaint his room. Asuka painted the entrance, Shin helped Misawa scrub the floor, while Sho painted the walls and Judai took care of the ceiling.

"Take that! And that!" Judai exclaimed, painting the ceiling as if he was fighting with a sword.

"That's it Judai! that's a Big Bang!" Misawa exclaimed, scrubbing the floor with vigor.

"Haha, disappear!" Sho laughed, seeing this as a sort of game which he quite enjoyed.

"Judai, remember you're on a ladder! Stop moving around so much!" Asuka warned from the hallway, seeing Judai moving with much more vigor than before, causing his ladder to move along with him.

"What're you talking about? Everything just fine! Ha- Iyah?!" he exclaimed, only to lose his balance on the ladder. This caused him to drop his paint brush, which flew right into Sho's face.

"Hey, why did you do that Big Bro?" Sho asked with paint dripping down his face. Seeing this, Shin began giggling.

"Ah, I'm sorry Sho! I swear I didn't do that on purpose!" Judai apologized, only for Sho to quickly grab a bucket of paint that was lying around.

Seeing this, Judai panicked and quickly jumped off the ladder just as Sho threw the paint at him. But since Judai managed to avoid it, the paint splashed all over Shin instead.

[Ahaha!] Judai and Sho laughed at the sight, while Shin's eye began twitching.

"Come one you guys take this seriously-"

 ***SPLACK***

Misawa tried to calm the three boys down, only to be smacked in the face with a paint rag, courtesy of Shin.

"Shut up, Misawa-chan" he stated, before glancing at the two Slifers. "Now for you two!"

He then tried to splash Judai with paint as well, but was alerted when he heard something behind him. Thus, he managed to duck just in time and Misawa struck Judai in the face with his own paint rag.

And from there, it became an all out paint war. Asuka made the wise decision oh taking out her harisen, just to let everyone know what would happen if they tried to throw pain on her.

* * *

A while after the four boys had called for a cease fire and managed to get themselves cleaned off, they all went to the cafeteria.

"Oh man, this is delicious!" Judai exclaimed, scarfing down on fried sea food along with Sho. "I haven't had food this good even for my birthday!"

"I didn't either, Judai. But that's no reason to scarf it down like there's no tomorrow" Shin said, him and Asuka eating their food like normal people.

Well mostly. Shin was just using his hand to eat the shrimp while Asuka ate with a fork and knife in true royal fashion.

"It's fine" Misawa joined the conversation, bringing over a plate of lobster which he placed on the table. "You may eat as much as you wish. My treat for helping me out."

"Well, Shin will never turn down free food~" Shin sang, immediately getting himself a piece of lobster. Asuka looked at him amused.

"What was that about eating like there's no tomorrow?" she questioned, causing Shin to turn to her with a shrimp tail hanging out of his mouth.

"Hey. Dish ish lobshter! Ish delishios oll da taim-" he said, before suddenly starting to choke on his food, which he managed to swallow in the end albeit with difficulty.

"I swear, if we have to go to Emi-san's office again..." Asuka mumbled while shaking her head.

All the while Judai, Sho and Misawa laughed.

* * *

Later that day, as night rolled over the island once more, Manjoume was sat in front of his TV.

"Jun. You understand don't you?" a voice said, belonging to one of two males on the TV.

"Yes, I understand. Brother Chosaku, brother Shoji" Manjoume responded in an obedient tone.

"Both of us have been busy, so we haven't been able to keep in touch-" Chosaku began, only for Shoji to but in.

"But we take it you've been getting top grades at the academy, right, Jun?" he asked sternly. "Your brother and I stand atop the political and financial world respectively. For our plan to succeed, we need you to stand atop the card game world!" he declared.

"The future of the Manjoume family rest upon your shoulders Jun! Don't screw up!" Chosaku declared, before the television suddenly turned off, ending the call.

Left alone, Manjoume feel deep in thought.

' _What do I do? I can't possibly tell them that I'm not at the top yet. And God forbid they ever find out I'm about to get downgraded...'_ going over to the window of his room, Manjoume grit his teeth slightly. _'I can't tell them about all of this. I have to do something...'_

However, as he looked out his widow, he noticed Misawa, Judai and Sho walking toward the Slifer Red dorm.

' _That's Daichi Misawa...'_ and then, and idea popped into his head. _'Wait...if he's gone, that means his room is...'_

* * *

"Man, I'm pretty pooped!" Shine exclaimed, plopping on his bed once again. "Why do I always get the short end of the stick..." he questioned, rubbing his head.

He then stood up and took of his jacket, which he threw in the laundry since it had a few drops of dried blood on it.

 ***Tap tap tap***

But then, Shin heard what sounded like footsteps along the hall. Raising an eyebrow, he listened closely, hearing the footsteps stop right around his room.

' _Who could that be? It's too late'_ the boy thought suspiciously, before hearing the footsteps move along a bit. _'Could it be Misawa-chan? Did he forget something?'_

Deciding to go and see who it was, Shin quickly went over to the door and peaked his head outside.

"Did you forget anything Misawa-chan?" he asked the figure in the dark, who was looking through Misawa's furniture. Wait a second…

"Manjoume? What're you doing here?" Shin questioned, surprised at seeing Manjoume in here of all people. Manjoume himself opening his eyes wide in shock, at seeing Shin standing at the door.

"Crap..!" he mumbled, before bolting down back down the hallway, as Shin saw the open drawer and realized what Manjoume had done.

"Hey, come back here you thief!" Shin promptly shouted, before bolting down the hallway after Manjoume, who had just stolen Misawa's deck.

* * *

 **That's the chapter~!**

 **Hey, would you look at that? I managed to bring out another chapter in just two weeks! The next one should be out just as fast, if not faster~**

 **But yeah, I'm guessing most of you reading this know where things are going right? Those who played GX Spirit Caller should definitely have an idea.**

 **We're seeing Shin and Manjoume finally duke it out!**

 **So yeah, stay tuned for the next chapter.**

 **Also, you'll notice some inconsistencies and things that don't make much sense in this chapter. I know but keep in mind that I'm currently reworking the previous chapters. ALL of them.**

 **You may have seen that the second chapter was already reworked and I'm currently taking care of the first and third chapter as well, so stay tuned for those too~**

 **So yeah, that was it from me for now~ Remember to leave a review and tell me what you thought of the chapter~**

 **Seeya next time~**


	16. The Final Card

**Welp, here we are.**

 **You wanted to see the summary of this story, and I have written it. However, everything must start somewhere. And we'll start with our favorite OC's backstory.**

 **A few years prior to the original series, Shintarou Akami was born to Industrial Illusions' card designer Kyoko Akami and her husband, a Kaiba Corp employee, Ryou Akami.**

 **However, right from his birth, something seemed off about the innocent pale skinned baby. There was a certain, feeling of danger around it. And his mother seemed to be the only one that wasn't aware of it.**

 **But there is a reason. For you see, another soul had taken residence inside the newborn baby. Something from a different dimension.**

 **That something, coming from a dimension then known as the Original Dimension. You all know now, right? While originally split in four, a tiny fragment of the feared Zarc's soul had somehow slipped into another dimension when the Original Dimension was split. And thus, that soul fragment had found itself being reborn inside young Shin, granting him out of the ordinary abilities.**

 **However, we'll get to that in a bit. For now, let's look at Shin's growing up.**

 **Which wasn't easy, to say the very least.**

 **Due to Zarc's soul being inside him, the child had a constant negative effect on those around him. Everyone he met opted to keep their distance, due to the Zarc's leaking presence, intimidating anyone Shin wanting to befriend.**

 **Thus, Shin had often found himself all alone, avoided by the other children, and even few adults.**

 **However, it was around this time that little Shin had found something of an escape.**

 **In the form of playing cards that his mother gifted him around his 4th birthday. Those, were Shin's first Duel Monster Cards. And he couldn't be more happier because of it.**

 **Because he soon found a bright side, to Zarc's soul inside him, even though he still wasn't aware of it. Shin, like Zarc and a certain someone, was able to see and interact with the Spirits inside his cards.**

 **While frightened at first, Shin soon learned that the spirits meant him no harm, and for the first time since he was born, Shin had finally found friends.**

 **But it the happiness didn't last.**

 **As a child would, Shin went to his parents to tell them about his new-found ability, and while his mother simply thought it was her child's hyperactive imagination, Shin's father wasn't as receptive.**

 **He had always been a strict man, and due to his position was usually under a lot of stress. Now normally, someone could deal with it for their child, but somehow, it didn't seem to be the case here.**

 **What was unknown, is that Zarc's constant presence was slowly driving Shin's father mentally unstable. He was unconsciously fearing his own son. And because of it, he made it a point to be in as little contact with Shin as possible.**

 **And now that Shin was apparently able to 'see ghosts', Ryou was slowly starting to see Shin like the rest of the kids. Different, and potentially dangerous.**

 **But Shin didn't pay his father's declining mental health any mind. He simply kept occupying himself with his new friends.**

 **But over time, as Shin grew older, his longing for human friends began to eat away at him. But since children his age still kept their distance away, Shin had to do something else.**

 **Fortunately, his mother had always been there for him, helping him deal with his lack of friends and always taking time out of the day to play with little Shin, along with her duties to Industrial Illusions and her house chores.**

 **But one night, it all went downhill. And Shin's life was changed forever.**

 **One late night, Shin and his mother where dueling against each other. The reason was because Kyoko had gifted Shin a brand new card, which she designed herself purely for Shin.**

 **She said the image of the card appeared in her dream while she lulled Shin to sleep as a baby. She saw a serpentine dragon, with glowing yellow eyes and orbs around it's body. She thought it was a sign. That Shin had some sort of connection to dragons.**

 **And thus, a new dragon named 'Poisonous Rose Dragon' was created. Although it didn't quite resemble what she saw in her dream.**

 **But the fun was interrupted, when Shin's father emerged from his office where he disappeared to as soon as he came from work.**

 **As today was Shin's 7th birthday, the boy thought that just this once, his father would be willing to play with him and his mother, as a family.**

" **Dad, come and play with us!" Shin called out to his father. But unfortunately, once again he just received the cold shoulder.**

" **Another time..." was all Shin got as a response, as Ryou simply grabbed a drink and began heading back to his room.**

 **As he saw that, something resounded withing the back of Shin's mind. An urge, so to speak.**

' _ **Make him play with you.'**_ **was all it told Shin. Not questioning it, Shin stood up and took a few steps toward his father.**

" **C'mon Dad! Just this once!" he called out again, this time receiving nothing short of glare from his father.**

" **I said another time!" he barked, making Shin take a step back startled. Now, Shin's mother stood up and tried to reason with her husband.**

 **But before she could go far, Shin heard the same voice again, this time sounding more commanding.**

' _ **We won't be commanded like that!'**_

 **And before he even knew it, Shin had grabbed his fathers hand and pulled harder than a child should.**

" **Just play with me already!" he shouted, as his father seemed a sinister glint in his dichromatic eyes. Something that made Ryou's mind finally snap.**

" **Let go of me you monster!"**

 **Out of sheer fright, he yanked his hand from Shin, and with the same speed smashed his glass of alcohol of the boy's head, sending him to the ground bleeding.**

 **Immediately, his mother was at his by her child's side, while Ryou stared on in shock.**

" **Are you out of your mind?!" Kyoko screamed, looking in disbelief at her husband.**

 **But he didn't even have time to explain himself, as the two heard slight sobbing coming from Shin.**

" **Everyone...that's what everyone says...you're just like them" the boy mumbled, as tears mixed with blood dripped down his cheeks.**

 **But the something happened.**

 **His new card, the Poisonous Rose Dragon began glowing, before vines shot out of the card, separating Shin from the two adults, who took a step back.**

 **As Shin slowly rose back to his feet, so did something else behind him. A large serpentine dragon with black petal-like wings and yellow eyes.**

" **Why...I didn't want to be like this...how am I at fault..?" Shin questioned in a low tone, as the dragon behind him began growling dangerously.**

" **Sweetie, just calm down" his mother spoke, not knowing what else to say in this situation. His father just took slow steps back.**

" **No...all of them are the same...they all call me a monster..well then I'll show them...I'll show them all.."**

 **As the boy looked back up, his eyes now gleaming red and a scowl on his face, the dragon behind him roared loudly.**

" **I'LL SHOW THEM ALL WHAT A MONSTER IS!" he roared, as the dragon unleashed a barrage of vines toward his father, who barely had time to jump out of the way. His mother was just barely missed, as she also jumped out of the way.**

" **Stay away from me!" his father cried out in vain, only fueling to Shin's anger, thus also fueling into the dragon's rage.**

 **Unleashing another barrage of vines, Ryou had to do his best to duck and escape, while simultaneously looking for something to stop Shin.**

" **Shin, stop!" while the dragon was busy attacking Shin's father, his mother took the chance and embraced Shin in a last attempt to at calming the boy, before the situation escalated even further. The damage was already reaching out of bounds.**

" **I know you're lonely sweetie. I know you hate it. If I could, I would give my life to prevent you form being lonely. But this...your anger is blinding you. It's making you into the very thing you don't want to be! Calm down, and let's approach this differently. These...powers of yours. We can work out how to control them! If you manage to do that, I'm certain you can fill your life with friends!" his mother tried her very best to reach the boy that was just hiding away in his anger.**

 **And it actually worked. The dragon had stopped it's rampage and disappeared in a cloud of petals, as Shin's eyes slowly turned back to dichromatic eyes. Seeing this, Kyoko smiled warmly at her son.**

" **There we are" she told him, as the two slowly stood up. "Now come on. Let's just calm down and-"**

 **SLASH**

 **Shin's eyes widened, as blood splattered over his face. It took a second for him to realize, that it came from the blade that was now sticking out of his mother's stomach, inches away from his face.**

" **Tch… an inch too short" came the voice of his father, who pulled the knife out of his wife's back, causing her to look at him in complete disbelief.**

" **W-Why..." was all she managed to get out, before she collapsed on the floor while coughing blood.**

" **You were in the way" was all Ryou said, before he set his red eyes unto Shin, whose anger was completely gone, now being replaced by disbelief at what he had witnessed.**

 **Seeing his mother being stabbed right before his eyes, made him stop functioning. He wanted to scream, he wanted to get away from his father, but his body wouldn't do anything.**

 **And as his father approached him carrying the same knife he used to stab Kyoko, Shin realized what was about to happen to him as well.**

 **But that's when something else happened.**

 **A box, that was stashed away in a chest behind the couch suddenly began glowing brightly, momentarily distracting Ryou. And when he looked back at Shin, he saw a glowing golden object around Shin's neck.**

" **You monster...she had nothing to do with this" Shin said, suddenly standing up to his father with no fear.**

 **With his medallion glowing brightly, his dragon manifested itself behind the boy once more, roaring loudly and causing Ryou to take a step back and drop the knife.**

 **The tables where now turned. The Millennium Item around his neck had awoken Zarc's soul within him, and also awoke something else. It awakened Shin's dormant Psychic powers. And with all those things, Shin made his father pay.**

 **But on that night, Shin lost everything.**

 **His home, which was destroyed during his dragon's rampage, his cards which went up in flames along with the house, his father who he himself under the influence of his new found Millennium Item killed and sent into a world of shadows, and his mother who was now laying dying at his feet.**

 **As his tears mixed with the blood dripping down his face, Shin tried his best to try and help stop Kyoko from bleeding out. But by this time, she had already lost too much blood.**

" **Sorry sweetie, but this is it for me" his mother used the last bit of her strength to convey a final message to her son.**

" **You will have a tough road ahead of you. But I know you will manage to pull through. I also know you'll find a bunch of friends in the future. Treasure those friends sweetie. They will be there for you when no one else will be able to. When I won't be able to..." coughing a bit more blood, Kyoko's time was running short. "This...Don't ever blame yourself for this. This is just what our destiny was. So don't fear your powers. Learn to control them, and use them to your advantage. I'm certain you'll need it in the future. And remember what we promised today..." linking her pinkie with his son's, she gave one final smile. "Become the best someday...I'll be watching you along...the way..."**

 **And with that, Shin's mother passed away, a gentle smile gracing her lips.**

 **Shin ran away from the site of the tragedy, not knowing what else to do.**

 **All he did was keep running until one day he collapsed from exhaustion in a back alley. But fortunately for him, he wasn't completely alone, as he had thought...**

 **The CEO of Industrial Illusions, as well as a close friend of Shin's mother had sent out people to look for Shin. Pegasus J. Crawford felt the need to make sure at least Shin was alive through all the madness. He had lost Kyoko, someone he saw his own deceased wife in, but he will not allow her only child to perish. He owed her that much.**

 **After Shin was found and brought into a hospital, he was taken under Pegasus' wing, where Pegasus took it upon himself to help Shin control his powers.**

 **However, he soon found out that Shin no longer had any recollection of everything that had happened that night. He only knew that his parents lost their lives in a fire.**

 **Pegasus wasn't sure how to proceed, so he let doctors run some tests on Shin and he found out the boy was now suffering from amnesia and most likely PTSD, as he now talked about a different someone he sometimes talks to.**

 **With the help of the Millennium Eye, Pegasus saw Shin's new 'split personality'.**

 **Or that's what he believed. In reality, that split personality was Zarc's now dormant spirit, which Shin used to push all the bad memories unto.**

 **Over the next two years, Pegasus helped Shin grasp the powers of his Millennium Item, to some extent. And he even managed to get Shin to slowly open up again, using something Shin's was quite fond of.**

 **Duel Monsters.**

 **But it was around this time, that Pegasus's mind also began to turn dark. However, it wasn't because of the boy. More of something along the lines of, Shin's influence made Pegasus consider more drastic measures for something he'd longed for a long time.**

 **How to revive his deceased wife.**

 **And soon, the Duelist Kingdom tournament was announced.**

 **For the most part, Shin simply watched from the sidelines, along with his Duel Monster spirits, until he found a group that intrigued him. A group led by a boy named, Yugi Muto.**

 **He watched as he and his friends made their way up to Pegasus' castle, and even got to watch and Yugi and his new rival, Seto Kaiba clashed. He wasn't pleased with Seto's last ditch effort to win however, but he'd soon learn why he did it.**

 **He continued to spectate, as the tournament reached it's final stages. And during the finals, he finally became acquainted with Yugi and his friends. While shocked at first, that Pegasus was taking care of a young child, the group quickly warmed up to Shin.**

 **And for the first time in years, Shin had finally obtained the real friends he secretly longed for.**

 **Soon enough, the Duelist Kingdom tournament came to end, as Yugi did the unthinkable and defeated Pegasus at the very game he created.**

 **But as the group prepared to leave, bidding Shin farewell, something happened that put a wrench in those plans.**

 **Pegasus was attacked by an unknown assailant, who gouged out his Millennium Eye before disappearing into the night, leaving Pegasus in a coma for a while.**

 **Shin was once again left alone.**

 **Or so he thought…**

 **In a rare and shocking showcase of sympathy, the new CEO of Kaiba Corp a.k.a Seto Kaiba, had given Shin a chance to come with him and his brother, where he'd be allowed to stay and live out his life.**

 **Everyone was understandably shocked at Kaiba's decision, with the exception of his younger brother Mokuba. He knew that Seto saw himself within young Shin. A boy left alone in a cold world to fend for himself.**

 **Although shocked, and a little hesitant to leave Pegasus at first, Shin eventually came around and returned to Domino City with the Kaiba brothers.**

 **While still officially in the custody of Pegasus, Shin spent his time living with the Kaiba brothers, which he had no complaints toward. Living in such luxury, was like a dream come true for him.**

 **And while he lived with the Seto and Mokuba, he would frequently sneak out to join Yugi and the gang and spend time with them as well. It was around this time that Shin became acquainted with the Dark Magician Girl, who immediately took a shine to him, something he reciprocated.**

 **And this was now Shin's life. Sleeping the nights withing the Kaiba mansion, while spending his day around Yugi and the others. His cuteness even managed to woe the females, which frequently would play with him and even have baths with him.**

 **All innocently, of course. They saw him like their little brother.**

 **It was around this time that Kaiba had announced the start of Battle City. His attempt at reclaiming the title of Champion from Yugi. And Yugi was up for the challenge.**

 **Now, once again, Shin found himself spectating from the sidelines, as Yugi and his friends dueled their way through the tournament, striving for the finals.**

 **This time however, with the constant threat of the Rare Hunters, as well as their Leader Marik and his Winged Dragon of Ra, Shin found himself getting caught up in it all.**

 **But he was no coward. He never backed down from a challenge and rose up to it, facing a few Rare Hunters as well, and defeating them all. He was growing up, not only as a duelist, but as a person. Someone who wouldn't allow their friends to be hurt.**

 **Soon enough, the gang battled their way to the finals. It was now, an impending clash of the Gods.**

 **Yugi, who held Slifer the Sky Dragon.**

 **Kaiba, who possessed Obelisk the Tormentor.**

 **And finally Marik, who had command over the Winged Dragon of Ra.**

 **These three giants were going to clash in the finals. And it was going to rock Shin's world.**

 **Something that was shown to him during Yugi's battle against Bakura. Rather, against the evil spirit possessing Bakura through the Millennium Ring. Shin witnessed the awesome power of Slifer, who laid waste to Bakura and won Yugi the duel.**

 **Around this time he met Ishizu, Marik's older sister who wished for the Pharaoh who inhabited Yugi's body to save her brother.**

 **Shin and Ishizu were similar, in a way. Both had experienced the pain of loss before, and wished to help those close to them.**

 **With Ishizu's knowledge about the Millennium Items, Shin gained even more insight about his Millennium Medallion.**

 **But soon things took a turn for the worse.**

 **It happened during Jonouchi's duel with Rishid, after the latter had failed to control the fake Winged Dragon of Ra, and the actual Egyptian God rained down punishment as a consequence.**

 **After Rishid fell unconscious, Marik's alter Ego was released in the world. And as soon as he surfaced, his psychotic sights landed on Shin, sensing a certain darkness within the boy ominously similar to his own.**

 **Throughout the course of the finals, Yami Marik made it a point to cause as much despair to the boy as possible, in order to release the darkness within him, so he can defeat it and claim Shin's powerful Item for himself. And he came closest to this when the tournament was suspended during Noah Kaiba's cyber attack on Seto and the rest. Thankfully though, Shin was saved by Ishizu who managed to ward off Yami Marik.**

 **But things changed once the digital fiasco was over and Kaiba resumed Battle City.**

 **And after being pushed to the edge by Marik with various attempts on his and his friends lives, Marik finally managed to push Shin over the edge after his brutal win over Jonouchi which left the blonde in a coma.**

 **Shin's anger awakened Zarc's soul within him once more, turning the boy into a ruthless and cold version of his childish self. And with Zarc awakened, everyone got a first hand experience of the presence that drove Shin's father mentally unstable and instilled fear into anyone who approached Shin.**

 **Naturally he challenged Marik to a duel to make him pay for what he did to Jonouchi, but it wasn't possible as Kaiba didn't allow it, and promptly escorted Shin out of there himself.**

 **That didn't stop Shin though, as he and Marik faced off at midnight with no one to stop them. But because of it, Shin had no way to escape Marik's dark magic which turned the Duel into a Dark Game.**

 **However.**

 **As expected, Zarc's skill as a duelist quickly shone through, managing to dominate Marik well throughout the duel. Unfortunately for Shin, the tables were turned when Marik managed to summon the Winged Dragon of Ra.**

 **Using the God's hidden abilities, Marik quickly overwhelmed Shin and managed to deplete Shin's LP using Ra. And because this was a Dark Game, the damage Shin suffered was quite real, as the boy was quickly embedded into one of the metal plates of the floor, now being graced with a visible scar on his back.**

 **Thankfully, his soul was saved by the Pharaoh, who sensed the disturbance and managed to use his Millennium Puzzle to ward off the dark magic and cancel the consequences of the Dark Game.**

 **Thus, the young child spent the majority of the Finals together with Jonouchi in a coma. However, he did manage to wake up during the very final duel of Battle City, arriving just in time to see Yami Marik get vanquished to the shadows.**

 **After the dust of Battle City settled, Shin and co. returned to their day-to-day lives.**

 **Until the shadows of Doma began looming over them all.**

 **Unfortunately, Shin's skill weren't quite up to par this time. As Dartz was well aware of the boys powers, he decided it was a top priority to get him out of the game.**

 **Thus, at the hands of Raphael, Shin's soul was sealed by the Orichalchos. However, through their duel, Raphael began doubting Dartz's ideology and plans, seeing himself in Shin and sympathizing with him.**

 **While Shin was trapped within the Leviathan, his friends fought their way to save him and everyone else. In the end, even Raphael helped them, before losing his soul to the Orichalchos as well, with Kaiba and Jonouchi joining him.**

 **After the Pharaoh managed to defeat Dartz and the Leviathan once and for all, all souls trapped within the beast were freed.**

 **Once released, Raphael sought out Shin and entrusted him with his most precious card, Guardian Eatos.**

" **I no longer have the right to use her in battle. I gave in to my own darkness and sullied her. You however? Even when I gave you the Seal, you refused to use it to the bitter end. You've proven to me that you're more worthy of her than I am. Take care of her child. And take care of yourself as well, Shin." was Raphael's reasoning, before parting ways with the young boy.**

 **And with Doma now gone and dismantled, everyone returned to their regular lives, unaware that their biggest challenge was fast approaching.**

 **And that challenge appeared in the form of the Millennium Tablet. When the gang flew to Egypt in order to finally help the Pharaoh to uncover his memories, naturally the evil Spirit of the Millennium Spirit followed suit, leading to the greatest game between it and the Pharaoh, with the fate of the world on line.**

 **Of course, Shin along with Yugi and everyone else journeyed after the Pharaoh to help him out and save the world. And this time, he proved himself by helping Yugi in his final battle against Yami Bakura, and recovered the Pharaoh's name. 'Atem'.**

 **From then on, Shin watched as the Pharaoh battled against Zorc, and managed to fulfill his destiny and defeat the darkness.**

 **And after that, there was only one thing left for them to do. And that something was the Pharaoh's final duel against Yugi in order to return to the afterlife.**

 **Shin was there along with everyone else, and watched as Yugi delivered the finishing blow to the Pharaoh and won the duel. After a tearful goodbye, the Pharaoh stepped through the gates into the after life, but not before giving everyone present one final thumbs up.**

 **And with the Pharaoh's passing, so did the first chapter of Shin's story.**

 **Everyone returned to finish their final year of school, Kaiba had managed to get full custody of Shin from Pegasus who was happy knowing he would be in better hands, and after a while even met someone very special. Someone who solidified his experiences in ancient Egypt.**

 **He met a young woman with long white hair and bright blue eyes. A woman named Kisara, who was a new employee at Kaiba Corp.**

' _ **Is this all just a big coincidence? After all that's happened over the years, I don't quite believe in coincidences...'**_ **Kaiba thought one day, while observing his new private secretary have a small duel with Shin, in which she used Seto's own deck and was actually winning.**

 **Nevertheless, life moved on as the years passed. Of course, there was that one incident that tried to hinder those plans in the form of a boy named Diva and his Quanta artifact.**

 **But once again, and truly for the last time, Yugi's bond with the Pharaoh managed to save the day. Even from the afterlife, or maybe just a residual fragment within the Millennium Puzzle, Pharaoh Atem came to his former partner's aid and defeated Diva, who was actually possessed by the darkness of the Millennium ring in one single turn.**

 **And after this final threat was dealt with, things truly settled down for a few years.**

 **And this brings us to chapter two of Shin's story.**

 **Now, at 15 years old, Shin had started his own journey as a duelist.**

 **And it took place on the island of Duel Academia, a school for duelists created by Seto in the coming years after Diva's attack.**

 **Of course, since Shin didn't slack off in the years prior to his enrollment at the academy, he quickly made the gap between him and the rest of the students clear. Being trained by the best of the best also made him a candidate, for the best of the best.**

 **Through various Duels, Shin proved his skill within the very first month of school, even though it wasn't actually his intention.**

 **Regardless, within that month he also managed to do make a whole new bunch of friends. But through that bunch, two stood out the most, for different reasons of course.**

 **One, was a certain Kuriboh haired young man, name Judai Yuki. And the reason he stood out, was because he shared Shin's uncanny ability to see and talk to Duel Monster Spirits. Because of this, Judai and Shin became quite close, even with the occasional childish squabbles between them.**

 **And the second person, was the top female student in the school. Her name was Asuka Tenjoin.**

 **The reason she stood out to Shin wasn't because she was a top student, or because she was really the only female friend Shin made at the academy. It was something he felt deep inside when looking at her.**

 **What he didn't realize at the time, was the fact that Asuka reminded him of his own mother. The way she cared about him more than everyone else, their interactions, all of it reminded Shin of his mother. And because of it, he found himself wanting to get closer to the girl.**

 **And she secretly wanted the same. But we'll get to that in a bit.**

 **Throughout the first semester, things seemed pretty calm. Sure there were the occasional confrontations, but those were mainly people who wanted to show Shin and Judai up.**

 **Among those, was the headmaster of the Obelisk blue dorm, Chronos de Medici.**

 **While the man had an infatuation with Shin due to his skill and background around Seto Kaiba, Chronos had a real bone to pick with Judai. Like most of the Obelisks, in fact.**

 **And for the majority of the first semester, Chronos did his best to try and expel Judai, but was stopped by Shin at almost every turn.**

 **And speaking of, Shin took quite some blows from helping his friend. Falling unconscious from exhaustion, facing expulsion himself and being trapped in a Game of Darkness to stop Judai from being the victim.**

 **And speaking of, during that fated Duel Shin unknowingly fought someone who wanted revenge on him. But it was put back in it's place by the same Shin that sent it there in the first place. You should have an idea as to who that is, but don't worry I'll get to that again shortly.**

 **But it was through those incidents, that Shin and Asuka became closer. It was evident that Asuka cared for him very much, and he cared for her just as much.**

 **Even though they hadn't known each other for more than a month, they were strangely close. She didn't mind Shin's random antics and simply went along with them.**

 **But a certain something made her start considering that her feelings for him may be a little different from just friendship.**

 **It first began when Yugi and Seto's deck were to be displayed in the academy. Yes, during the copycat incident.**

 **When Kagurazaka attempted to steal Yugi's deck to copy, he accidentally stole Seto's deck instead. Shin was the one to confront him of course, but since it was Seto's deck, Shin wanted to give it the challenge it deserved.**

 **And thus, Shin took it upon himself to use Yugi's own deck and sustain the rivalry of the decks alive.**

 **It was a close duel, but in the end Shin along with his partner, the Dark Magician Girl, managed to defeat Seto's Blue Eyes White Dragons.**

 **But before that happened, Dark Magician Girl kept her usual character up and teased Shin at every opportunity. And that is what stirred something within Asuka, who had been watching the duel from the top of the cliff. She was jealous of the Spirit.**

 **Putting that incident behind us, we move on to the next incident that gave some more light on Asuka's feelings.**

 **And that was the arrival of Rei Saotome on the island.**

 **Obviously, Shin knew she was hiding the fact she was a girl, but let it go. And he determined that by the way she was looking at him. And Asuka didn't like that one bit.**

 **And when her identity was revealed, she kept making references to her and Shin being together during her duel with Judai.**

 **Shin really didn't want a child after him, so with his quick wit and smarts, he managed to redirect her budding love toward Judai who was not in the least happy with it. Shin was though, so he didn't care.**

 **And now the next incident regarding Asuka's feelings came after the reveal of the Seven Star Assassins.**

 **Shin ended up facing all Assassins, with the only exception being Nightshroud who Judai defeated. Thus, his duels had left him quite drained both physically and mentally.**

 **And this showed, as Shin became more ruthless and distant with each Assassin he defeated. This was no longer a game. It was a battle for survival, and this is was awakened Zarc's soul once more, this time affecting only Shin himself.**

 **But that was temporarily stopped when the Duel Spirit day came about.**

 **On that day, something truly shocking happened.**

 **Shin woke up, as a girl.**

" **KYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" was the Banshee cry that the entire island heard on that morning.**

 **Naturally, Misawa was the very first to come face to face with this 'new' Shin. And he was confused to say the least.**

 **As it was later revealed, Dark Magician Girl had thought that on this day, when Spirits gain physical bodies, she could maybe reverse the effects and turn Shin into a spirit, for future uses…**

 **But obviously, it backfired and somehow ended up turning Shin into the opposite gender. And the poor boy (now girl) had even more problems to deal with. Dark Magician girl had no way of turning him back.**

 **Asking the help of her Master, Dark Magician revealed that there was nothing to do, but wait for the transformation to wear out.**

 **And thus, for the next two weeks, Shin had to unfortunately venture back to Domino City for 'family related issues', while his twin sister 'Sheena' took his place. For whatever reason.**

 **Getting used to being a girl was hard for Shin, to say the least. And very, VERY awkward for a hormonal teenager like him. And obviously, the very first things he did after getting settled into the girls dorm, involved a mirror, a lot of touching, and two fingers doing something not PG-13. Hey you wanted to know everything, so here it is.**

 **But regardless, around this time Shin- ahem. *Sheena*, spent the most time with Asuka. And that's when the girls started to realize their own feelings. The biggest red flag was, of course, bath time. Since girls had a giant hot springs in their dorm area, it wasn't uncommon for multiple girls to bathe at once. And whenever they did, Sheena and Asuka were a blushing mess. People around them, actually thought they were both swinging for the other team and they were attracted to one another.**

 **Among those people were Asuka's friends, Momoe and Junko, who were convinced Asuka like Shin but now it was like their whole world was flipped upside down.**

 **Oh if only they knew…**

 **But yes, Sheena at the school certainly was a new experience, especially for Judai who wasn't the best at keeping her secret. He even accidentally called her Shin with other people around, almost blowing her cover.**

 **But in the end, after a number of fun lessons, bath experiences and some duels, the transformation finally wore off, and Shin 'returned' to Duel Academia while his twin returned to her normal high-school in Domino.**

 **But the peace didn't last long. Because now the final two Assassins showed up at the academy, looking for both Shin and Judai.**

 **The thing is, the one looking for Shin had a personal vendetta against him. And he was about to bring out a past of pain long forgotten by Shin.**

 **For that Assassin, was none other than Shin's psychotic, and long deceased father, Ryou Akami. And Shin only found that out during their duel.**

 **Seeing his father's face again, all of the memories Shin had locked away unto Zarc came flooding in and with them, so did Shin's 'split persona', meaning now there was no one who could take over for Shin.**

 **Fear, anger, pain, anguish.**

 **All of these emotions filled Shin's heart with his father's reveal. It was too much for Shin to take in all at once, and whilst falling on his knees, Shin had lost all the will to fight.**

 **Seeing the weakened state his son had fell in, Ryou took ruthless advantage of it and unleashed the full might of his Wicked God cards and finished off Shin, leaving him embedded into solid rock, almost as if crucified into his own tomb.**

 **And as it so happened, the duel took place midday, so everyone had taken witness to everything that happened. And everyone saw the crushing defeat Shin suffered. Even Yugi and Kaiba, who had arrived to give Shin advice on this very duel, only made it in time to see the boy get blown into a coma once again.**

 **Laughing, Ryou ripped his son's Gate Key from around his neck and took off into the darkness, leaving Shin in critical condition, and mentally scarred.**

 **Of course, the most affected by this was Asuka herself. She saw Shin's loss, and couldn't do anything to stop. Her heart was crumbling when seeing Shin motionless on the hospital bed. And that's about all that she was able to do right now.**

 **Her grief made her distant and depressed. Because she had finally figured out her feelings for Shin. She loved him. And now she was so close to losing him. The pain was very real.**

 **However, things weren't as bleak as they seemed.**

 **Within his own mind, Shin was recovering. And right there for him, was his mother Kyoko.**

 **On that fateful night, a fragment of her being was locked in his Millennium Item, similar to how Atem's soul was trapped in the Millennium Puzzle.**

 **Regardless, she was there for this occasion. And she helped Shin find himself in his muddled mind, get over his trauma and return to the boy he once was. The same boy he was before that fateful night.**

 **In his mind, the journey took no more than a few hours. In reality. A few weeks had passed. All the while his friends had visited him on more than one occasion, hoping their friend would finally open his eyes. But after the first few days, some were beginning to lose hope. At the end of it all, the only ones who refused to give up hope, were Asuka and Judai. Everyone else had returned to the island, having come to terms with the fact that Shin was, in fact, comatose and only time would tell when he'd wake up.**

 **Judai eventually had to return to the island too, as the Assassin's were still on the loose, and with Shin out of commission he took it upon himself to fight them off, and avenge Shin while he was at it.**

 **Vengeance. Judai's first step into the darkness, unknowingly brought upon by Zarc's presence within Shin and their bond with one another.**

 **Back at the hospital, night had set in and Asuka, though she tried to stay awake, eventually gave into exhaustion and fell asleep. And around that time, dichromatic eyes opened up in the darkness.**

 **Raising his body, Shin was now born anew. With renewed determination and power flaring in his red and blue eyes, Shin had sent a message using his Item.**

' _ **The Kaiba Corp Tower. That's where we'll settle our score. I'm waiting. And this time...I'll WIN.'**_ **laughing at message his son sent him telepathically, Ryou stood up from his throne. And with a wicked smirk, he made his way through the darkness to face his son.**

 **On that stormy night, father and son clashed once more.**

 **However this time, Shin was no longer the traumatized child he was in their first encounter. His own spirit, along with the fragment of Zarc's which fused into it, was steeled and ready to fight. He would defeat his father, and destroy the finals shackles chaining him to his past.**

 **This was supposed to be the second biggest Duel in this story, but since we're here, I won't write it out here.**

 **Bottom line is, after a tight duel, Shin managed to defeat his father, by pulling a miracle from his deck.**

 **With the help of his Millennium Item, as well as his own bond with Yugi and Atem, Shin managed to do the impossible, and summon forth one of the Egyptian Gods to help him win.**

" _ **Almighty Protector of the Sun and Sky, I ask of thee, please heed my cry. Dispel this Darkness with thou Light and let my enemies feel thy might. Descend upon us, and aid me in this Game, as I call out thy name! WINGED DRAGON OF RA!"**_

 **As the chant rang out in the night, the very clouds parted as the Egyptian God descended unto the Tower and landed behind Shin, releasing a mighty roar that alerted everyone in Domino city as to what was happening.**

 **The Winged Dragon of Ra had appeared once again, years after the God Cards were supposedly destroyed. The people couldn't believe this. The duel itself had caused some commotion beforehand, leading to news helicopters arriving at the scene just as Shin summoned Ra. And it was all caught on tape.**

 **Yugi, along with everyone else present, were left shocked at what Shin had managed to do.**

 **Even Seto and Mokuba were left speechless, being able to simply look out their window and see Ra.**

 **In the presence of the strongest Egyptian god, Ryou's Wicked Gods stood no chance. Using it's indestructible Phoenix Forme, Ra laid waste to the Wicked Gods, and with a final attack, Ryou's body was destroyed and his soul was burned out completely.**

 **As the smoke cleared, Shin had finally set himself free of his past. He could now move forward as himself.**

 **Ra roared one more time, before it's form disappeared with the rising sun. And with the actual monster, so did the card Shin held in his hand. Both vanished into thin air, signaling that this event would only happen once. And now that it was done, the God returned to it's rightful place, guarding the Pharaoh in the afterlife.**

 **Looking toward the sunrise, Shin smiled warmly, seeing a vision of his mother giving him the same smile, before disappearing with the night. Now, with his past completely behind him, and a clear mind, Shin returned to the hospital.**

" **YOU IDIOT!"**

 **That was the first thing he heard when entering his hospital room, before feeling someone crash into him and wrap their hands around him.**

 **Even though her eyes were leaking tears, that didn't stop Asuka from pouring her heart out, and tightening her hold on Shin. With everything that happened, there was no telling when Asuka would have another chance, so she confessed her feelings for Shin right there, so she wouldn't have the chance to regret not telling him in the future, like she had while he was in a coma.**

 **While shocked at the revelation, Shin allowed a small smile to appear on his face.**

 **He was silent though, which caused some concern for Asuka. She thought he didn't actually reciprocate her feelings.**

 **But before she could even voice her thoughts, she felt her chin being lifted up before a pair of lips crashed into her own.**

 **Their first kiss lasted only for seconds, but to them it felt like a lot more than that. And once they pulled apart, Shin's dichromatic eyes looked right into Asuka's own and smiled.**

" **After everything we've been through, everything we've endured and after all the times you've been there for me...there is no doubt in my mind, Asuka. I love you too."**

 **The two return to the island via Seto's helicopter, and Shin is welcomed back by the entire island, the students having seen his duel and how he summoned Ra.**

 **Samejima steps forward and with a warm smile welcomes Shin back to the island. Shin thanks him with his own smile present, before Judai remarks something.**

 **Namely Shin and Asuka's linked hands. Judai jokingly asks if they finally got together, with everyone sharing a brief laugh before seeing that Asuka's a blushing mess and looks awkwardly to the side, while Shin smiles his usual childish grin.**

 ***DONG***

 **That's the sound Manjoume's jaw made when it hit the floor. As well as some other people's.**

" **YAAYY! THEY'RE FINALLY TOGETHER!" their friends on the other side were happy for them, having had enough of the awkward atmosphere the two had previously.**

 **But unfortunately, there was still no time for celebration. Even though Shin and Judai had defeated the final two Assassins, Ryou and Amnael respectively, there was still one more obstacle.**

 **And that obstacle soon came in the form of Kagemaru, who arrived via helicopter on the island and revealed himself as the head of the Assassins. Many feel confident enough to take him on, however he has but one target.**

 **Shin.**

 **Even though Judai also proved himself a strong duelists, he sees Shin as the strongest among them all.**

 **And thus, Shin accepts the challenge, obviously with protests from his new girlfriend, however he manages to calm her down by stating that he is no longer the boy she met on the first day. He was now his complete self, with complete control over his power.**

 **Asuka relents, but states that she won't ever forgive him if he loses, to which Shin chuckles and activates his Duel Disk.**

 **During their Duel, Shin proves his point by fighting toe-to-toe with Kagemaru, and even managing to overpower him. However, what he didn't realize was that he was planning right into Kagemaru's plan, by sending card after card to his Graveyard.**

 **And it showed, when in one swift move Kagemaru managed to summon the three Sacred Beasts within his deck, leading Shin to face his greatest challenge yet. Nothing he could do right now would stop them.**

 **And thus, he quickly began losing the duel, as his LP depleted, worrying those around him. But all hope wasn't lost yet, as he drew the final card of the duel.**

' _ **You'll know how to do it when the situation calls for it most, Shinnie-boy'**_ **staring at the blank card in his hand, Shin remembered Pegasus' words.**

 **Glancing at his hand, he saw something that surprised both him and everyone else.**

 **His blank card, along with Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl and the Polymerization cards in his hand started glowing, seemingly resonating with one another.**

 **It was then that Shin was shown the same vision his mother saw all those years ago. A large serpentine creature, with yellow orbs around it's body, yellow eyes and weirdly shaped wings.**

 **And the creature called out to him.**

 **Shin now knew what to do. Letting Zarc's instincts take hold, he grabbed the three cards in his hand, and activated Polymerization. Then, the two magician appeared on the field, before flying into the fusion vortex above them, as purple lightning began raining down around Shin, and a loud roar echoed.**

" **Two souls now become one! From the darkness below, bring forth a new terror! Fusion Summon! Appear before me! Poisonous Dragon with hungering fangs! Level 8! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!"**

 **As Shin finished the chant, a large purple dragon with a serpentine body, and glowing yellow orbs around it's body descended down unto the field, releasing a violent roar that seemingly shook the entire island.**

 **His eyes now glowing red, Shin began his turn and with the help of Starve Venom's devastating effect, managed to obliterate Kagemaru's Sacred Beasts as well as his LP, winning the duel.**

 **Once the dust settled, everyone cheered now that the threat of the Sacred Beasts was finally put to rest. And as his eyes returned to the usual dichromatic blue and red, Shin took a glance at his new Ace monster. His *own* Ace monster.**

 **And following Kagemaru's defeat, came the long awaited Graduation duel.**

 **And with it, thing were going to get heated. Ryou didn't waste any time and announced his opponent.**

 **Shin Akami!**

 **And now here we are. The two duelists facing off in the final duel of the year. And this time, Shin did not allow himself to be bested like the first time. And he kept true to his promise.**

 **Of course, Ryou proved a challenge. He was the best duelist in the academy for a reason, after all. However Shin didn't let up, and wasn't a pushover either. This time around, Shin went toe-to-toe with the Kaiser, blocking him at every turn and dealing damage.**

 **However, the same could be said to Ryo. He put his all into the duel, and came at Shin with everything he had. But in the end, Ryou had managed to out smart Shin, managing to summon Cyber Twin Dragon on his field, while Shin but one face down remaining. It was now or never, and Ryou attacked.**

 **The attack landed.**

 **And Shin's LP dropped all the way to zero.**

 **...However. The holograms didn't disappear.**

 **With a smirk on his face, Shin pressed a button and activated his face down card, revealing none other, than 'Soul Relay'. And with it, he summoned Dark Magician Girl to the field.**

 **Smiling, Ryou ended his turn by setting one face down.**

 **It was now Shin's turn once again. And putting his very soul into the card he was about to draw, a golden glow covered the card, before Shin drew it strongly.**

 **Glancing at the card, Shin smiled.**

 **It was the Eye of Timaeus.**

 **He didn't know whether he did it subconsciously with the help of his Item, or whether Fate itself helped him out. But one thing he did know.**

 **The duel was over.**

 **Activating the Eye of Timaeus, his extra deck glowed, signaling another card had come into existence. And thus, fusing Timaeus with Dark Magician Girl, Shin called forth Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight.**

 **With it, Shin had delivered the finishing blow, and won the Duel. Even if it was on a smaller scale, he managed to achieve his dream of becoming the best. He now held the title of 'Kaiser', but he sure wouldn't stop there.**

 **He would climb all the way to the top, and claim the title of King of Duelists. Only then, could he say he has become the best of the best, and make his mother proud.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **And there. That's about as far as I got with planning. This was originally the note I planned to end it on, when life started getting in the way of writing, so that's as far as I had planned.**

 **I of course had other ideas for the future, that just weren't fully planned out.**

 **Shin was of course going to meet and befriend Johan. His and Asuka's relationship was going to progress some more, with them finally doing the freaky-freaky around the time Judai first leaves the island.**

 **On that note, I also had plans for when Judai turns into the Supreme King. It was an interesting idea I had.**

 **I was planning on having Zarc awaken during Shin's duel with the Supreme King. You know, like how awakened Yuya was. A battle between Supreme Kings~**

 **Supreme King vs Supreme Dragon King. I thought it would've been interesting.**

 **I was going to have it as Shin using Starve Venom more and more in his duels, eventually becoming uncaring toward his Duel Monster Spirits and only focusing on bringing out Starve Venom, as well as becoming more ruthless and cold while dueling, due to his ever increasing link with Starve Venom becoming corrupt.**

 **At that point I was going to have Judai duel him and take that darkness away, only for it to awaken the Supreme King withing Judai, and then pass the torch unto Shin to help his friend the same way his friend helped him.**

 **Then there was also Judai's duel with Yubel, and I was thinking of whether or not to throw Shin in there and make it a tag duel like in Tag Force 3. On that note, I planned a lot more tag duels but oh well.**

 **Season 4, I really didn't have planned out. I didn't even get to season 4 in the past, so I would have had to rewatch the entire thing and then start planning~**

 **But I did have an ending planned for the story since chapter 10. A proper ending, for after the series was done and everything was settled. So- ahem!**

 **After Darkness' defeat, and everyone was just about to graduate, an announcement was made.**

 **Since the Graduation Ceremony awards Yugi Muto's deck as a reward for the top student, Yugi himself appears along with Seto and together they announce a new Tournament taking place in Domino City.**

 **When questioned by Shin as to what purpose the tournament serves, Yugi reveals it's to find his successor. The *new* King of Duelists. And then, Shin understands why they set up the tournament. It's to see whether or not Shin has what it takes to challenge Yugi and achieve his dream. Becoming the best duelist and earning the title of 'King of Duelists'.**

 **Shin smirks, and with a determination last seen during his final duel against his father, Shin accepts the challenge.**

 **Then Kaiba reveals the details of the Tournament, saying that only the top 8 students would get to participate.**

 **Those student's being:**

 **Shin.**

 **Judai.**

 **Asuka.**

 **Johan.**

 **Sho.**

 **Manjoume.**

 **Edo.**

 **Misawa.**

 **While bummed out that they wouldn't participate, the rest of the students understood and congratulated the ten.**

 **Seto then went on to explain, that only one of those ten would get to reach the top of the Duel tower the Tournament was to take place on. A tower similar to the Tower used for the Battle City finals.**

 **Though through a quip from Shin, Seto had to begrudgingly admit that he wouldn't try to blow this tower up as well.**

 **Then Yugi took over to explain that the finalist would have to face a Survival- type of Duel, in which he would have to fight his way to Yugi with no breaks. When questioned who it was that the finalist would have to face in that stage, Yugi revealed it to be Jonouchi, after which it would be Pegasus and at the end, they would face Seto.**

 **Only after the finalist won against all three of them, could they climb to the very top, where Yugi would be waiting.**

 **And now, a few days after the announcement, the ten duelists selected were transported via helicopter toward the Battle Tower, where various camera's had been set up, so the event could be televised.**

 **Once there, the gang steeled themselves before entering. They were, after all going to be facing each other in the preliminaries.**

 **During this time, Shin took a moment to address Judai, as he felt they kind of drifted apart ever since Judai left the academy. Judai felt the same, but he hoped that this experience would help get them back on the right track, and with a smirk on their faces, they fist bumped and stated that they'll be seeing each other in the finals.**

 **Asuka, who had been watching from a little further away smiled at the two, remembering their very first year, and how they two were acting the same way back then.**

 **And from then on, the tournament began.**

 **As expected, everyone gave it their all, keeping an unspoken promise to not hold back, just because they're friends. But because of it, it was sad to see Misawa lose to Shin once again, while Manjoume lost to Asuka. And on block B, Sho and Edo were the one's to lose to Judai and Johan respectively. All of them battle valiantly, but in the end, only four could advance.**

 **And then, it was on to the Semi-Finals, when it became even more hard to go all out, as the pairing consisted of duelists closest link.**

 **The Semi-Finals consisted of:**

 **Shin vs. Asuka in Block A**

 **Judai vs. Johan in Block B**

 **Naturally, Shin was very hesitant to face against Asuka. However, a stern speech from the blonde let him know that she wouldn't forgive him if he went easy on her. Steeling himself, Shin accepted what Asuka requested of him, and didn't hold anything back, something she was grateful for.**

 **However, it *was* very frustrating when Shin started dominating the duel without any sign of stopping. For a second, she actually wished she hadn't told him to go all out, as this was a serious blow to her pride. But she did find solace in the fact that her lover was so strong, and fully believed that he could emerge victorious.**

 **And thus, after Shin's final attack with his Ace Starve Venom, who power and influence Shin had finally tamed, Asuka's LP were depleted and lost the duel.**

 **Congratulating Shin on his win with a very special and heartwarming kiss, the two then turned their attention on the other ongoing duel between Judai and Johan.**

 **And unsurprisingly, the victor was Judai. Although Johan did prove quite the challenge, making Judai go through about half of his deck during their duel.**

 **And after that, it was on to the Finals.**

 **Standing opposite of each other, the long time friends were getting excited. Excitement being something neither of them had experienced in a long time. Up until now, most of their duels had incredibly high stake, so they couldn't afford to be excited.**

 **And it showed during the early stages of the duel, as both duelist were quite competitive, aggressively trying to outdo the other and end the duel as fast as possible. That because they both knew the other is a high threat to their chances of winning, and went into the duel with the same mentality as before.**

 **However, as the duel progressed, the found themselves enjoying it more and more. The thrill of facing each other after so long. The anticipation of what the other would do, and the happiness one felt when putting a wrench in the other's strategies. It was exactly like during their very first official duel during the three-way duel to find a representative for the Duel Academia vs North Academia duel.**

 **And while Shin managed to pull out through that duel, Judai had more hopes this time, as he didn't have to worry about Misawa getting in his way of victory, and due to the fact that he knew most of Shin's strategies by now, whereas his own were still quite flexible.**

 **And it showed this time, as after a quite long stalemate, Judai had managed to get the upper hand on Shin, sending the duel into the final set of turns.**

 **However, Shin also had his own tricks left up his sleeves. While he still had the fallout he suffered with his spirits during his slow turning in the ruthless and power hungry Zarc, he had managed to fix the bonds he had with all of them, and now was on another level of control over his deck.**

 **Much like Atem in his final duel with Yugi, Shin now had the ability (to an extent), to control what cards he would draw next. While it didn't work most of the time, in this situation it would be most optimal, as he had gone through a big chunk of his deck, and was now left with mostly the only cards he needed to pull a come-back and win.**

 **And he proved it, by managing to put a stop to Judai's Fusion monsters, for just a turn. However, it was just the amount of time Shin needed to Fusion summon his own Monster, Starve Venom to the field. However, this time Starve Venom wasn't alone.**

 **Shin had also managed to summon his ever faithful Dark Magician Girl and a monster he rarely used in battle, Guardian Eatos.**

 **And with this deadly combo, he tore down Judai's defenses using Guardian Eatos whose power towered over Judai's monsters and destroyed them, while Dark Magician Girl took care of the traps he had set in place.**

 **And finally, using his signature monster, Shin unleashing the finishing blow to Judai, wiping out his remaining LP.**

 **After the dust settled, silence befell everyone.**

" **Haha.."**

 **That was, until they heard a silent laugh from Judai, followed by a chuckle from Shin, which soon turned into full-blown laughter. The two were so happy and satisfied with hoe the duel turned out, and with how much fun they had in it, that they couldn't help but laugh.**

 **And seeing this, all of their friends joined in on the laughing as well, congratulating the two.**

 **And then, the doors to the final stage had opened as Shin stepped forward. Glancing back, everyone gave him a word of encouragement or a simple thumbs up in the case of Manjoume. Judai, approached him and extended his fist, as they two fist bumped once more wearing the same smiles on their faces as when they first met each other.**

 **And of course, Asuka gave him one more kiss of encouragement for the battle ahead, before stepping back and joining the others.**

 **With a small smile, Shin glanced at the girl of his dreams once more, before shooting a quick glance at a little something in his pocket.**

' _ **Once I win, we'll take that step together...'**_ **the boy thought, before going through the doors and climbing the flight of stairs toward his final challenge.**

 **Awaiting at the top of the stage, was none other than Jonouchi who had a wide grin on his face. He needn't say anything and just activated his Duel Disk.**

 **Stepping up to the challenge, Shin activated his own Duel Disk, and the two drew their hands initiating the duel.**

 **A while later, the doors opened once more revealing Pegasus standing before Shin.**

 **The man who had raised Shin for a few years reminisced about those years for a bit, telling Shin how proud he was of how far the boy got, and remarking that his mother Kyoko would have said the same.**

 **Smiling, Shin admitted that it was his mother who brought him so far, slightly confusing the elder man. However, when Shin activated his Duel Disk so did Pegasus, ready to see exactly how far Shin had come along.**

 **Now, after two long duels, Shin was finally standing in front of the final door. His final obstacle, before reaching the very top.**

 **And as the doors opened, Seto Kaiba was waiting beyond them with an extremely rare smile gracing his face. Looking at the boy, he acknowledged how far the boy had come, looking almost nothing like the squirt he first met on duelist Kingdom.**

 **This brought a sincere smile on Shin's face, who bowed his head and thanked Seto for everything he's done for him over the years, with even a few tears that rolled down his cheeks.**

 **Seeing this, most people present teared up as well with the inclusion of Sho and Manjoume, who were bawling even though the spiky black haired teen would've denied it even as it took place, as well as the rest of Shin's grown-up friends who were watching from another room within the tower. Hell, Jonouchi, Honda, Bakura and the rest of the girls were crying as well. Even Mokuba shed a few tears.**

 **The people who didn't cry still found it a touching moment, and simply smiled warmly.**

 **Chuckling, and with an almost invisible tear in his own eye, Seto stated for Shin to dry up his tears, as this was a clash between true Duelists, where tears had no place.**

 **Seeing Seto acknowledge Shin as a true duelist almost brought more tears to the boy's eyes, however he managed to suppress them and activated his Duel Disk, looking at Seto with a determined expression.**

 **Seeing this determination, Seto smiled and activated his own Duel Disk.**

' _ **You're definitely ready squir-...Shin. Now go, and achieve your dream!'**_ **Seto thought happily, as the two duelists clashed with all their might.**

 **And now, after an entire day of dueling, overcoming his friends and facing off against someone he considered family in a duel that almost brought him to the end of his deck, Shin had done.**

 **Walking on the roof on the building, with a the faint golden glow of the setting sun shining unto him, Shin stared at his final challenge. Standing on top of the arena, with the sun right behind him giving him and almost angelic glow, Yugi smiled.**

" **You've finally reached it Shin. The pinnacle of your dream. Now, are you ready to reach out and grab it? Or" activating his duel disk, Yugi threw away his jacket leaving him in only his tank top and with a smirk on his face. "-Will you allow your dreams to slip between your fingers."**

 **Hearing this, inspired even more determination into Shin, who although completely exhausted from his previous fight, found it in himself to stand up tall on the arena, and show one final determined smile to his opponent.**

 **This was it.**

 **The moment everyone had been waiting for, and the moment Shin dreamt of all this time.**

 **The fight between the strongest duelists, to see who would win and claim the title of-**

 **KING OF DUELISTS**

 **And arduous battle commenced. Shin didn't expect any less.**

 **Everything he had face up until Seto, seemed like child's play when compared to Yugi. But he was prepared. For three whole years, he had been preparing for this one moment.**

 **And fortunately, his battle against Seto had given him some insight as to what he should expect. And it came in handy immensely.**

 **Yugi kept Shin at bay for the majority of the first phases of the Duel, which everyone was expecting really. However, with patience Shin had managed to set up a plan that helped give him and opening to turn things around. From that point on, it was a battle of wits between Shin and Yugi.**

 **Both were locked in a stalemate, with neither gaining or losing ground. Whenever one would seemingly gain the upper hand, the other would thwart their plan with a trap of another special effect.**

 **And in the end, the battle lasted so long, that both players were nearing the final cards in their decks. At this point, their hopes lied within the cards at the very bottom of their decks.**

 **And now, the duel was nearing it's final phases, as both duelists were on their very last cards from their decks.**

"Well Shin, looks like this is it, huh?" Yugi questioned, glancing on his empty field. Then he glanced at his deck, where only one more card remained. "If I don't draw something now, I'll lose."

"Heh, it does seem like that doesn't it?" Shin replied with a slight pant, glancing at his own field, which contained one face down card and the spell Different Dimension Capsule which already had a counter on it. "But I know you still have something up your sleeve."

Raising an eyebrow, Yugi looked at the boy amused.

"Do I now?" he questioned with bemusement.

"I've been observing your every move. Noting every potential card played in this game. It was hard to do, don't get me wrong, but this is the moment I've been waiting for this whole time. I won't screw up now! Especially, since you still haven't summoned your Black Luster Soldier!" Shin declared, making Yugi laugh.

"Ahahaha! You really have been paying attention" the legendary duelist smiled, before fixing Shin with a determined look. "I only have one card left. And considering what you said, it should be obvious what's coming next, right?" he asked, Shin knowing fully well what the answer was.

Back on the sidelines, everyone was watching the monitor displaying the duel, with their heart almost bursting out of their chest from anticipation, excitement and/ or a combination of other emotions as well.

"If Yugi really does have Black Luster Soldier, then Shin may actually lose" Judai noted, his eyebrows scrunching up.

"Don't jinx it Judai-kun. Shin still has that face down, as well as his D.D. Capsule. He still has a chance to win!" Asuka said, now calling Shin without any honorific, due to how close they have become.

"She's right Judai! The Duel ain't over until the final card is played" Johan quipped, slinging an arm over his friends shoulder. "Shin's managed to come so far! Let's not lose hope now, when he's so close to winning"

"As much as it pains me to say it, I agree. Shin is so close to achieving the one thing every duelist aspires to become. Let's keep our faith in him for now. Destiny will show us what it has in store for Shin" Edo revealed, folding his arms.

"It's not like you to say such words Phoenix" Manjoume quipped from the side, only for Edo to deadpan him.

"It's also not like you to bawl like that after Shin's speech" he smirked, seeing Manjoume turn red from a mixture of embarrassment and anger, before trying to lunge at the silver haired young man, only for Sho to stop him.

Misawa simply watched in silence, reminiscing at the past years he spent with Shin.

' _Shin, out of everyone here, I believe you are the most capable to obtain that title. I've observed you, and your growth as a duelist all this time. And even through your darkest times as that 'Zarc', you still held this very same dream in mind. Maybe it's because of Zarc that you have this very dream, but I know that you no longer have any of that darkness in you. You have come all this way. So don't let it end now, Shin! Win this, for us all!'_ the boy smiled.

Back to the duel at hand, it was now Yugi's turn.

 **YUGI: 400 LP**

 **SHIN: 250 LP**

"Here it comes Shin! I draw!" Yugi declared, drawing his final card strongly. Glancing at it, he smiled a little sadly. It was Black Luster Soldier- Envoy of the Beginning. _'I hope you prepared for this Shin. I really do not want to take your dream away from you, but I promised I won't hold back.'_

"Here it comes Shin!" the King declared, raising his card high. "I banish one LIGHT and one DARK Attribute monsters from my graveyard, to Special Summon Black Luster Soldier- Envoy of the Beginning!"

From the darkening sky, a ray of light crashed down unto the field, creating a gust of wind signaling the Soldier's arrival. And as the light faded, Yugi's final monster stood tall.

 **Black Luster Soldier- Envoy of the Beginning -LV8- (3000/2500)**

"Here it is..!" Judai mumbled, looking at the screen with worry, an emotion shared by everyone in the room. This was the deciding moment.

If Shin didn't stop this attack, he would lose. And everyone was anxiously awaiting the moment of truth, their heart rates increasing.

Cupping her hands, Asuka's heart was racing the fastest. She wanted Shin to win with all her heart.

"This is it Shin. My final turn" Yugi smiled, raising his hand. "Black Luster Soldier! Attack Shin directly! **Dawn Bringer! C** **HAOS** **BLADE** **!** " Yugi declared, as his monster jumped high in the sky and slashed downward launching a slash of magical energy.

Everyone's eyes widened, and they waited with bated breath to see what was going to happen, Would the attack go through, or would Shin stop it and win.

As the attack neared, Shin gave a saint smile, and looked at directly at Yugi. Seeing the smile, Yugi's own appeared on his face and chuckled.

' _Looks like it's time for the new generation to step in the spotlight'_ he thought happily.

"This is it!" Shin declared, pressing a button on his Duel Disk, causing his face down to lift up and for everyone watching to open their eyes wide with hope. "I activate, Defense Draw! Negating your attack and allowing me to draw 1 card!" he stated, as a defensive barrier formed in front of him, stopping the attack and allowing him to draw a card. Glancing at it, he smirked.

With the attack stopped, Black Luster Soldier landed back on the field.

"Well, looks like this is it. But you still have to beat my Black Luster Soldier you know? You're not completely out of the woods yet~" Yugi sang, ending his turn.

Shin smiled in return, and placed his fingers on his own final card. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath.

This was it. His final card. In retrospect, he could just as easily end his turn, which would cause Yugi to lose by default. But that's not what he wanted. He wanted to **defeat** Yugi, not outlast him. And this final card, would be the one to do it. He was certain.

Opening his eyes, he saw a vision of all his friends appearing above his deck. Almost as if to say all of their hopes and wishes were contained within this card. And that made him smile.

' _Let's do this everyone!'_ he thought with absolute resolution.

"My turn! I DRAW!" he yelled strongly, drawing his card with all of his strength. Looking at it, he smiled. Then he glanced back at Yugi, who already knew what was going to happen and chuckled.

"This is it, Yugi-chan!" he declared, assuming his old speech patterns, even if only for this one instance, to show that deep down he was still the same young boy who promised he'd be the best duelist, all those years ago.

"Firstly, my D.D Capsule receives it's final counter, giving me the card I banished two turns ago! And now I activate it!" he declared, as the sarcophagus-like chamber opened, revealing the card. "Monster Reborn!"

The card began glowing brightly, before a form appeared from the light.

Spinning her magical staff, Shin's long time Partner the Dark Magician Girl appeared, landing in front of her Master.

Looking in front of her, she couldn't help the sad smile appearing on her face.

She knew this day would come. She was prepared for it. She encouraged Shin for when this day came, and yet she herself was starting to get cold feet.

After all, she had been through so much with Yugi and the Pharaoh. And now it almost felt as if she was pitted against Atem once again, making her feel a little sad.

And Shin realized the fact too, as DMG glanced at him with the same expression on her face.

The two exchanged a silent conversation, which ended in Dark Magician Girl nodding her head strongly, however the sad smile was still there.

' _ **Don't worry Shi-chan. This is your moment. You don't need us for it. You have your own Ace Monster now, while we're a thing of the past. I'm glad we were helpful to you up until now'**_ she revealed to her Master.

Said master getting a few tears in his eyes.

' _Don't say it like this is the last time we'll see each other! I told you before haven't I? We're partners, through and through. And from now on, I'll never let you go! We'll be by each other's side, always!'_ the young man declared strongly, making a single tear of happiness appear on DMG's face.

' _ **...** **you were and still are a charmer, huh Shi-chan?'**_ she smiled, before gaining a determined look on her face. _**'Alright Shi-chan! This is it! The moment we've all been waiting for! Finish this!'**_

"Right!" he answered out loud, before grabbing the final card he drew from his deck. "I activate, Fusion Recovery! And with it I add Polymerization, and Dark Magician to my hand from my GY!" Shin announced, as his spell seemingly reached all the way into his graveyard and pulled out the two cards Shin chose.

Seeing Shin now had all the pieces of the puzzle, Yugi smiled.

' _I knew Shin had one final trick up his sleeve. Magician's never reveal all their secrets, huh Shin?'_ he thought, glancing up at Shin.

And as he did, a vision of Shin's younger self appeared next to the current Shin. This vision was of the same boy Yugi entrusted his two Aces to, on that first day at the Kaiba Dome, three years ago. And little Shin gave his signature smile, along with a thumbs up as the words _'I'll make you proud'_ rang in Yugi's mind.

' _Fufu, you already have Shin. You already made all of us proud long ago...'_

"This is it Yugi-chan" Shin stated, his eyes glowing brightly, and confident smile on his face. "I activate Polymerization, fusing my two monster to bring out Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!" he declared, as the two magician disappearing into the familiar vortex, before Shin's Ace Dragon flew down on the field, roaring loudly just as it did the first time.

It was feeling it's master's excitement, and it let everybody know it with it's roar.

 **Starve Venom Fusion Dragon -LV8- (2800/2000)**

"I activate, Starve Venom's effect!" Shin called, as multiple tendrils erupted from the dragon's back, attaching themselves to Yugi's monster. "When I special summon this monster, it gains the attack of one monster on my opponents side of the field! In this case, your Black Luster Soldier- Envoy of the Beginning!"

 **Starve Venom Fusion Dragon ATK 2800 → 5800**

"And with it's second effect, I negate all of Black Luster's effect for the remainder of the turn!" Shin said, as the tendrils seemingly electrocuted Yugi's monster, bringing it to his knees.

And with it, silence befell the arena. Shin didn't command his monster to attack yet, instead opting to take the whole situation in.

This was it. This was his final duel. Three years filled with duels, both good and bad. And this, was the one to end it all. Looking back…

...Shin was sad.

Sad that everything was ending. Once he officially graduated, his adventures through Duel Academia would come to and end. Everyone would go their separate ways, and while they could still meet up and catch up on old times, where would the fun in that be? Where would the thrill of fighting for the sake of the world be? The tension of fighting dueling baddies.

All of it would end with this final duel. His journey was going to end once this attack landed.

"...S..Starve...V-Venom..." however, Shin couldn't do it. He wanted to declare the attack, but his words just wouldn't come out.

Was he really ready? Was he really ready to become the King of Duelists? To end his adventure? He thought he was, but apparently, his body said otherwise.

Proven by the fact that Shin couldn't utter the word 'Attack'. He didn't want it to end. He wanted to go on more adventures with everyone of his friends, as students of Duel Academia. This was his life for the past three years and now when it was coming to and end, he didn't want it.

"You don't want it to end, do you?" Yugi's soft voice snapped Shin out of his internal struggle. Looking up as a small tear ran down his cheeks, Shin saw Yugi's sympathetic face.

"I know that look Shin. Everything that's happened up to this point. Everything you went through. You think it's going to end once you declare an attack. But you don't want it all to end, right?" he questioned the young man, who after a while of silence, nodded. Chuckling, Yugi gestured toward his chest, where the Millennium Puzzle used to be.

"You still remember it right? My final Duel against Atem? I felt the exact same you feel right now. Everything we had gone through up until that point and now, as I stood there a mere word away from winning, I realized that I didn't want it to end. I wanted to go on many more adventures, together with Atem and everyone else. I felt like I had just finally met Atem, and now we were going to part ways, forever."

"But this isn't like that Shin" Yugi said, making Shin's eye widen. "Your adventures...They won't end yet. Sure, you are graduating and won't return to Duel Academia...But like Atem taught me all those years ago...The memories will remain with us. Forever. And you still have your whole life ahead of you. There's still so much more you can do, so many more adventures you can go on. I don't want to say they'll include you having to save the world again, for like the fifteenth time-" that caused both Shin, and all of his spectating friend to chuckle. "-but those adventures are still there, waiting for you".

And then, with a bright smile on his face, Yugi delivered his final piece of advice to Shin.

"The adventure will only end, when you decide to put a stop to it!"

Those words resonated with Shin.

Yugi was right. Even though his time at the academy will remain no more than fond memories, there was still plenty to be discovered out there in the world. All he needed to do was venture out and search for it.

And then he remembered what Judai was doing, on the night the tournament was announced. He was preparing to leave, in order to travel the world.

Judai understood what Shin didn't. That just because his years at the academy came to an end, his adventures were far from over.

Shin took a moment, to let everything sink in. A moment to steel himself, and prepare himself for what was to come. His new and undiscovered adventures.

And thus, looking back up with a new-found joy, Shin wiped away the tears building up in his eyes, and allowed a bright smile to grace his face, showing he was now ready to put and end to the second chapter of his adventures, and eagerly awaiting to see what the third chapter had in store.

"Thanks a bunch Yugi-chan! I'm ready to end this now!" Shin called out, raising his hand high in the air, as Starve Venom reared back preparing to attack. "Starve Venom-"

And before he finished his sentence, he had a final flashback to everything that he's been through for the last three years. Everything he and his friends went through, the ups and down, the fun and sad moments. He reminisced on it all, having steeled himself to put the final stamp on the chapter. And with a deep breath, he took the first step toward the new chapter of his story.

"Starve Venom, attack Yugi directly!"

 **And thus, Shin had done it.**

 **After a duel, which brought him to the literal final card in his deck, Shin had managed to do what countless others around him had tried and failed.**

 **As Yugi's LP reached zero, Shin officially claimed the title of-**

 **King of Duelists.**

 **After the dust settled and all holograms disappeared, Yugi stepped forward and placed a hand on Shin's shoulder, looking at him with a proud smile. And he wasn't the only one.**

 **Back in the other rooms, various celebrations commenced. With Shin's fellow classmates, Sho was already bawling from happiness, requiring Johan to try and calm him down, though he, too, had tears of happiness streaming down his face. Manjoume and Edo both kept their composure, though they too were happy for Shin's achievement, they just didn't want to show it like Sho and Johan.**

 **In the other room, Jonouchi and Honda were hugging each other bawling their eyes out from happiness of what they had witnessed. Mokuba tried to calm them down, but he t she some tears of happiness as well, something Kisara and the rest of the females present did too. Anzu, Mai and Shizuka all had tears of happiness in their eye, as the boy they considered a younger brother had finally achieved his dream, and they were proud of him.**

 **Even Kaiba couldn't suppress the fatherly smile that showed up on his face, something Pegasus pointed out teasingly, only to be surprised when Kaiba didn't attempt to cover it up, and let it sort of shine through. For in this moment, he truly felt proud of Shin.**

 **Back with the new and former King of Duelists, the golden rays of the sunset washed over them, basking the entire roof into a warm orange glow. Seeing this, Shin stepped toward the sunset, reaching the edge of the roof as a gentle breeze picked up and blew around him.**

 **Taking a deep breath, he pulled out a white rose from somewhere on his being and reached it out toward the sunset.**

" **I did it Mom. I finally did it. I hope you saw it, wherever you may be. And I hope you are now finally at peace" he mumbled quietly, allowing a melancholic smile to grace his lips, as he let go of the rose and allowed it to be picked up by the breeze and get carried around toward the horizon.**

 **For a second, Shin could hear he hear his mother sweet giggling voice, and felt a gentle touch on his shoulder, though when he looked, it turned out to be Yugi himself, joining Shin in watching the setting sun. For with the sun setting over the horizon, so did the final page of the second chapter of Shin's adventures.**

 **A little while later, the roof became crowded as everyone rushed to congratulate Shin on his win. And while he thanked everyone from the bottom of his heart, there was only one person present, that Shin had a very special 'Thank you' planned.**

 **Stepping toward the woman he had been through hell and back with, he grabbed her left hand and cupped it with his own. Some of the adults around had a slight idea of what may be happening right now, however the younger folks didn't have a clue yet.**

" **You know, this duel got me thinking. You and I...we've been through so much Asuka. And...I don't want it all to end lie this. Not now. So with that in mind..." he then released her hand, and revealed the slim silver ring around her ring finger, which made her and everyone else open their eyes wide in shock. He then raised his own left hand, showing his ring finger upon which the same kind of ring resided. "Would you make like to continue being with me through all the adventures to – guh?!"**

 **Shin didn't even need to finish his sentence, before being tackled to the ground by Asuka, who's eyes were leaking tears of absolute happiness. She tightened her hold on him, as if he would disappear if she didn't hold onto him properly, and utter three words.**

" **I'd love to." and she put the seal on that promise with a deep passionate kiss between her and the boy of her dreams. The man she would be spending the rest of her life with. And she wouldn't have it any other way.**

 **With this revelation, everyone present went into another round of celebration, the boys congratulating Shin on finally taking the final step in a relationship, while the girls praised Asuka for managing to get herself a fine man like Shin.**

 **But as that was happening, Shin noticed a certain someone missing out on the celebration. Breaking out from the rest of the guys, Shin called out toward the entrance to the roof, where Judai was currently trying to make his leave unnoticed.**

" **You're just going to leave? Without saying anything?" shin questioned, which made his friend sigh slightly.**

" **I'm happy for you Shin. Trust me I really am. But, I just don't feel like this is my setting anymore. You know, with everything that had happened, I still have this feeling at the back of my mind that wherever I go, misfortune seem to follo- huh?" Judai was snapped out of his depressive talk, when Shin's fist glently pushed against Judai's chest.**

" **By now it should be clear that whatever baddie may try to threaten out piece, we'll put 'em back in their place. And now that I have something even more precious to protect-" Shin spared Asuka a glance. "- I won't allow any negative force to meddle with us. And that includes that depressive state of yours. So come on now. Lighten up, and live in the present. If all you think about is 'what if's' in the future, then you're not living at all. And I won't allow my friend to be plagued by such thoughts~" he smiled warmly.**

 **Hearing his friends words, Judai couldn't help the smile that came unto his face. And soon enough, Judai lifted his head back up and smiled the same bright smile he used to in their first year at the academy.**

" **You always know what to say Shin!" he grinned, fist bumping his best friend, finally bringing the atmosphere to a complete positive.**

 **And now, after the dust had settled, everyone returned to the academy where the Graduation ceremony took place.**

 **Chronos, was bawling his eyes out, refusing to hold the ceremony and letting his precious students go their own way. Just like Shin before, he didn't want to lose them. However, he needed to let those precious students of his spread their wings and take off toward their own future.**

 **And that's exactly what they did, a few years after graduating.**

 **Judai, of course, began traveling the world in order to find what new adventures were awaiting.**

 **Sho and Misawa remained quite attached to Duel Academia and decided to remain and help out as teachers-in-training.**

 **Edo returned to Pro Dueling soon after Graduation.**

 **Manjoume also went on to become a pro duelist after Graduation, same as with Johan.**

 **Tyranno and Rei continued unto their final year at the academy, saying that Chronos bawled at their graduation as well.**

 **As for Shin and Asuka?**

 **The two of them move in together in a neat little house Kaiba had gifted them as a wedding gift, and Asuka was now thinking of joining Misawa and Sho in becoming teachers at the academy. And Shin supported and encouraged her all the way.**

 **As for himself?**

 **He was still thinking of where he should go venture out next, but it proved a rather difficult thing to do as he now had a family in Asuka, which the girl wanted to make bigger with a little offspring, something that Shin was understandably quite scared off in the beginning and managed to avoid the topic for quite a while.**

 **But one day, he received a rather cryptic message.**

 **It was supposedly from Samejima, informing him that there seemed to be something going on around the island, and he suspected that it's epicenter was located in the abandoned Lab within the heart of the forest. And the letter was basically Samejima's call for help to Shin.**

 **Shin thought about it, and even consulted with Asuka about it. She wanted to go with him, however he didn't want to allow the chance of Asuka getting hurt so he managed to persuade her to stay within Domino.**

 **He told Seto that he needed a quick ride toward the island in order to check up on some things, and while Seto was very suspicious, he agreed regardless, knowing Shin could take care of himself just fine.**

 **That decision, he would soon come to regret.**

 **Shin arrived on the island and ventured out in the forest, without trying to consult or confirm anything with Samejima first. However, he never stepped out.**

 **After a few days, he was declared missing and Seto sent out rescue party after rescue party, trying everything in his power to find him. But it never happened. Shin simply...vanished with no trace.**

 **And the news hit all of his friends like a truck. None of them could believe it. Asuka was the most affected by it though. She was left heart broken. Everyone tried their best to try and console her, but they never did manage to get her back fully.**

 **After all, the one she loved above all else, the one she wanted to start a family with, the one she gave her everything to, just vanished. It was almost as if he was just ripped out of this world.**

 **However, what would happen next would only serve for an even bleaker future. A disaster that wrecked Domino city to it's very core. A disaster that would be known by all future generations as…**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **The Zero Reverse.**

 **And...done. This is it folks.**

 **It's been a fun trip. Writing, is probably my second favorite hobby, just behind drawing. It's a shame it couldn't become and active part of my life…**

 **And with this, I have officially put and end to Shin's journey through out the three years of being at Duel Academia. I did my best to explain everything I had in mind, but obviously I may have overlooked some things. Oh well~**

 **Now, I would like to thank all of you who remained even after all this time. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you~**

 **Have a great day everybody~**

 **And oh...**

 **Seeya in chapter *three* of Shin's journeys, now taking place in the relatively distant future of 5D's~~! Byeeeee~**


End file.
